Fate: The Impossible Romance of Sasuke Uchiha
by ToQuenchAThirst
Summary: Sasuke age 33, with twin daughters flashes back to his life after the war. His relationship with Naruto, Sakura and Kakashi are explored some, and his journey from confusion and loneliness to love, as Sasuke finds his destiny in the arms of the most unlikely person. Moral:You might have to wade the deepest darkness but a glimmer of light in the end makes it all worthwhile. NO YAOI.
1. Chapter 1

**Pairing: Sasuke x Mizukage**

**Spoilers: **Story is set after the war, but I don't address how the series ended. I've started this story from after the Madara fight with the Allied shinobi. Basically the Kagura arc didn't occur, or anything beyond that. There's a certain character who died in the Canon that I have chosen to revive as well. I can only think of one pairing that will actually be Canon.

**Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, I'd have a pile of money but one wicked headache from all the fan's demands. So no, I don't own Naruto, but I do own some sanity, of which I'm equally proud of.**

**Chapter 1: Water, fire and sunrise**

It was a cold night. The snow curled itself into a fetal position and fell from the clouds. The land of Iron hadn't been changed by time. Isolated and covered in a blanket of white, the samurai run nation was a peaceful place.

They didn't operate like the hidden villages of the great shinobi lands. They were straight-forward, no-fuss individuals. They settled arguments in duels, as proper customs dictated, with strict rules.

The ninjas always preferred being elusive, using cloak and dagger methods. They functioned as mercenaries with expertise in stealth missions. They were people who, despite all words, resolved things through trickery. Their codes were fallible. The samurai held strongly to tradition, and logic was the commander of their disputes.

The samurai made sure to keep out of the wars waged by the shinobi, and had for the most part, with the exception of the Fourth Great Ninja War many years ago. Since then, the only contact with the ninja nations were strictly business. They didn't attend celebrations extended to them or make friends with any of the ninja clans.

The land of Iron had a central town which held many shinobi guests, staying there when on errands or negotiations on behalf of the kages.

It was to the little town south in the land of Iron, a quiet place with beautiful wooden cabins, functioning as inns. They were built in many rows. They had bathhouses in the great cluster, as well as little shops in neighborhood. The majority of the residents were civilians, so there was not a lot of unnecessary commotion.

An interesting guest was staying in one of the inns at this very moment. An infamous figure. A shinobi. A man whose reputation and history was well known to the samurai. A figure who had once caused a large disruption on their borders, many years ago during the Kage Summit.

In the Land of Irons' small civilian town, a flash lit up the twilight. It could be seen through the window of one of the inns.

Inside there were two identical twin girls with brunette hair in the living room. A girl with plump cheeks and bright ebony eyes was bouncing up and down in excitement.

"Daddy did you see that!" She shrieked. She had reddish brown hair, with curls that swirled at the ends around her cheeks. She broke out into a toothy smile. The child was about five.

Her twin stood beside her, but in a less enthused state.

The latter girl's form was slighter, her face unusually drained of expression for a child her age. She didn't have the restless jitter to her eyes that constituted childhood and naiveté.

It brought to mind a gorilla in a zoo. Those creatures peered at you with something akin to intelligence in their gazes, which gave one a feeling that they could comprehend things on a level that surpassed common animals.

In that way, this child was like that ape, a child whose eyes were not like a mere child. One who held herself in a manner uncharacteristic to a five or six year old.

It was only a moment, only in a glance, but there was something detectable about her that signified she had a curious history, despite being on this earth for a mere five years.

Her eyes were obscured by brown bangs, but the way the muscles on her mouth twitched, the movement of her lips, the gesture of her hands at her sides in fists, along with the stance of her feet all hinted at a sense of precision and awareness.

Her hair was short but plentiful and spilled to form a curtain around her face and over her eyes.

The exuberant twin turned to her more serious counterpart. The girls nodded toward one another with a secret smile then turned expectantly toward a tall figure who emerged from another room and into the slightly darkened living room.

"I'm watching, go ahead." The deep voice of a man answered, prompting the twins to demonstrate.

Small chubby hands formed hand seals and the children cried in unison "Fire Style; mini fire ball justu!"

Flames gushed from their mouths and gathered in the fireplace, a raging spiral of fire settling on the logs inside.

The man stretched out his bared arms and scooped the two girls into his chest. Long ebony hair swept from his shoulders and covered the face of the smaller girl as he held them tightly in a hug.

The twins on either sides of their father held in the tight embrace, had fading blemishes around their chins, sure indications that they had been practicing their fire technique for some time.

There was a sheen of oil lightly coated there, the remnants of a balm to prevent serious burns and to help them endure the heat when their chakra formed the flames.

Memories of his own experiences pooled in their father's mind as he held them.

"Daddy!" The twin with the chubbier cheeks shrieked, flailing in his embrace. She erupted into giggles, an easily excitable child. Where the thinner, more observant twin had reservations the former didn't, and displayed her emotions readily. She was an open book.

But she could feel her sister's thoughts a breath away. "*Ai wants to tell you something." She informed their father.

The man pulled back, pausing to look at the reserved child, who was caught in his straight, wild locks. She was silently trying to extract the strands from her mouth and nose. She jumped down from his arms.

"There is something I want to show you. I've practiced." There was a somber twitch to her lips.

The raven haired man raised an eyebrow? A flicker of amusement. "Something else? You developed on your own?"

Without reply the quiet child backed away from the fireplace to the end of the room.

"Daddy, *Aoi, please move." She beckoned with her small hands.

The father turned his face toward the remaining twin in his arms, the fire cracking in the logs lit up his features to reveal a man somewhere in his early-thirties with the palest complexion one had ever seen.

He had a red eye and a purple eye, the latter shone with prominent swirls. The red eye, the sharingan, was the tell-tale sign of an Uchiha.

"What are you two planning?" The man questioned with an upward twitch to his lips. "I hope you don't cause any trouble." He raised an eyebrow, glancing between the girls.

Ai gave him a measured, blank look. Aoi giggled fiercely and answered for the both of them. "Yep, you'll have to call old man Yamato!" She made a gesture of an explosion with her hands, hitting her father's cheek lightly. "ka-boom!"

The long raven haired man shut his eyes, folding them into a smile. He pushed off on his foot and landed smoothly at the edge of the room, his kid still in his arms, effectively clearing a path for Ai.

Straight brown locks shifted as a gust of chakra flew from her mouth, her hands making rapid signs. "Water release; water dragon bullet!"

A giant burst of rapid water shot through the air, hitting the walls of the front door.

The fair ebony-haired man nearly dropped the girl in his arms, his mouth a thin line, caught between shock and fast forming anger.

The wooden walls had splintered under the attack, reduced to a block of rumble. They practically stood outside now, the inn now exposed to the elements.

Ai was breathing hard. Her small body shaking, but there was the presence of unbending will in her, even if her chakra was drained.

The wind fluttered Ai's bangs upwards, revealing purple hued eyes with concentric circles. They were widened in shock at the scene in front of her. An expression of contriteness, plain before the curtain of hair settled back.

The man in charge of management who handed them new room keys, didn't blink. Shinobi always caused some kind of damage when they stayed. He enjoyed overcharging them for this reason, at least now they'd actually have thoroughly deserved it.

The ebony haired man with the children was a ninja. The old man could tell, and an awfully familiar one at that. The old man reached into under the desk and pulled out the guy's forms.

"Uchiha Sasuke." He read slowly.

He gasped, readjusted his reading glasses and squinted again.

His eyes couldn't be that bad.

The 33-year old Uchiha was changing in the bedroom while the twins were having a sandwich in the kitchen.

He peeled his wet shirt off, his long black hair scooping up into his shirt momentarily. There was a dark ugly wound on his abdomen that snaked around his side, its dark color and size contrasted with his stunning alabaster skin. Although it looked like it had healed some time ago, it was obvious that it must have been a frightful injury during it's time, it was a deep gash, as if he whatever sliced into him could have cut him cleanly in half, if it had been given the chance.

Sasuke pulled on a long black-sleeved shirt and white pants. He was looking in one of the drawers for a scarf.

His two kids emerged at the door peeking in.

Sasuke turned to face them with an unreadable expression. He turned to Ai. He had an image of her performing those signs creating a water jutsu as effortlessly as if she were the Second Hokage himself or more importantly…someone else.

A stab of pain shot through the pale-faced Uchiha.

Aoi was bending down to pick up her fallen cookie and shoving it into her mouth.

Ai was standing still next to her sister.

"Don't use that water style again." Sasuke stated coldly, his eyes narrowing, an emotion teetered on the fringes of his countenance. A wave of anger?

Ai looked back defiantly, but with some hurt look hanging there.

The clock ticked.

"All you have to say is okay."

Silence.

Aoi, who was wiping crumbs off her mouth onto the carpet, blinked and froze at the exchange.

Not again.

Sasuke knew that Ai was the impossible one he didn't understand. She was the one most like him. The look on her face reminded him of the kid he was in his genin days, but on a five year old it was unsettling.

Ai had a very concentrated look on her face. Its intensity made her look several years older. It was clear from the thin press of her lips that she had something to say that she was holding back.

First in her class, and a brilliant child. Ai was more like a female version of Sasuke's brother, Itachi. She posed questions that most six year olds didn't think of. She understood situations and expressions with a clarity that even an eight year old could barely fathom. Her father may have pretended not to notice, but there was one conversation she longed to have—the only one that was forbidden from their house.

It always made Sasuke angry.

He stood up, addressing Aoi, shaking off his bad mood. "Go clean up and then I'll make you guys some porridge." He ruffled the cheerful twin's hair and stood up, turning his back to them.

Ai was staring at the floor.

"We're going to be leaving soon. I don't want to be late. The next day or two there will be a lot I have to get done. The Tsuchiikage will be expecting us when we go to-"

"Why can't we go home?" Ai spoke up, interrupting.

The atmosphere tensed with that single, simple comment from the clear, authoritative voice of Ai.

Sasuke ignored her, walking to pull something out from under the bed. A suitcase. "You girls have never met the Tsuchikage, and I need you to behave properly for him. We'll be staying for two weeks there, so no running off again to explore. I'll begin your training in the afternoon, as usual. We need to stop on the way to the village hidden in the stones. I need to replace your shuriken holsters. Sasuke frowned, trying to remember something.

"Why do we move around so much? Why can't we talk-" Ai continued scrunching up her face as if she might cry, then took a deep breath, slipping a cold mask over her features.

Aoi scooted to her sister and pulled at her sleeve, silently pleading. She understood enough to know that daddy and Ai were going to fight again.

"Why can't we talk about Mom—"

A smack resonated through the room.

Sasuke breathed hard, a furious expression across his face. He stood towering over his daughter.

She held her cheek, but didn't cry.

In his mid-thirties he looked more like Madara, the founder of the Uchiha clan, except for his straight locks, he could be him in physical appearance. The resemblance was more pronounced when he was angry.

As he was now.

Sasuke fell to his knees with regret, and reached for Ai, trapping her in a fierce hug. He bit his lip hard in frustration, eyes closed, cursing himself for his loss of temper.

Ai stared off in the distance, a faint tear streaking down her coldly composed face. She didn't lift her arms to hold her father, she just hung them limply.

The girls rarely saw their father turn any hostility or negative feelings toward them. He was a perfect father to them. Sasuke showered them with more love than anyone in his life could ever believe he was capable of. They were his leg and his arm. He lived for them.

All of their young lives, they hadn't known their father could be anything but gentle, anything but patient, whether instructing them in a new jutsu or cooking for them. He was generous in his praises and affectionate towards them.

But when it comes to an Uchiha, there is a prerequisite to acting out of character and behaving in a state incensed with anger, and that was in the case of loss—loss of love.

An Uchihas' greatest weakness and strength was both in their immense capacity to love, but when that love turned to hate and anger, it always tested the boundaries of right and wrong.

It was midnight, the girls were asleep. Sasuke opened the doors to their bedroom. There was frost on his nose. He had been outside to calm down. The Uchiha strode forward into the room, his long black hair sweeping behind him in wild, errant strands. The powerful shinobi climbed into bed between his sleeping children and held them in his arms.

His eyes were still the black inferno that characterized him, but a breathtaking tenderness had taken residence in their depths. Anger or malignant intent normally made an Uchiha look that much more devastatingly beautiful, in a way which one could appreciate even while being on the receiving end of it. Though who could have guessed that an affectionate expression on an Uchiha resulted in an infinitely more heartrending beauty?

A shuddering breath fell from Ai's mouth, the child snuggled closer to her father, mistaking him for a pillow. The raven brushed back his daughter's bangs, contemplative.

The wind howled outside slapping at the windows. The room was filled with what sounded like a soft chant. A prayer? It was their father repeating a single word, over and over, and over again.

"Aishiteru." _I love you._

The sun pooled her morning light and spilled over three beautiful forms. Two children who looked like kids out of a fairytale, startlingly attractive and ethereal, lay asleep. It was like snow white cherubs times two. The characteristic Uchiha paleness manifested itself in the white limbs splayed across the blankets.

Sasuke's eyes were tamed by sleep, his long angular face maintained the epitome of handsome, even in slumber. He had his arms around the twins. Aoi and Ai, were side by side, crushed toward their protector.

Two hours after the sun's arrival, Ai rose languidly from her position. Looking through her usual curtain of brunette hair. She looked down at her sister and father sleeping beside her. A few minutes passed before she could throw sleep off completely.

She slid off the bed and walked toward the bedroom door, leaving the room. Ai shut it behind her, small fingers working to make no noise.

She padded to the kitchen, opened the fridge and took a brownie on a plate from within, then moved to the drapes over the large window in the main room, and sat behind them. In a crouch, she peered at the softly falling snow while slowly taking measured bites of her treat. She loved sweets.

When she had been sitting in almost meditative silence for twenty or so minutes, she felt her father's chakra flare up in alarm, and then fade gently to a low flicker. Daddy was awake, and he had discovered her absence.

A few minutes later the curtains were drawn back and a red and purple eye stared down at Ai.

This was her usual spot at home. Her father found her without needing to try to find her chakra signature.

Sasuke crouched down, he lay something in his lap that he had carried with him. Ai raised her chin to face her him.

"Did I wake you?" She asked. Sasuke nodded, he pulled a sweater from his lap, slipping her arms into them. "I felt your chakra vanish. You're getting good at learning to suppress it. But you know, you can't hide from me." The once over-arrogant Uchiha stated, teasingly at the end.

"I did it with no reason. I didn't mean to. It happened." Ai shrugged a shoulder. "Sometimes I'm thinking hard and concentrate and I want to be alone and I do it."

"Hn."

They both turned toward the window, simultaneously sensing something. It was a rabbit darting across the snow, leaving tiny footprints along its path.

The two Uchihas contemplatively stared out into the great whiteness. Alike in their comfort in silence, neither spoke for a couple of minutes.

"Did you eat yet?" Sasuke asked, breaking the quiet, his voice still a little raspy from slumber.

"I had this." Ai pulled the plate from her other side, on the floor, and presented it. Her tiny child hands barely holding the plate up.

"That's all? Come on. I'll make you breakfast." The raven rose fluidly, his hand on his daughter's head, cradling it against his leg as they walked together.

When they reached the kitchen, Ai climbed onto a stool, to seat herself at the breakfast table. Sasuke was busy opening cabinets, and gathering out ingredients. He reached down to extract a large pan from a drawer under the oven.

Ai spoke up, her arms on the counter. "Daddy. I-" She wasn't good at making apologizes. They embarrassed her.

The ebony-haired man paused, placed the cutting board and the onion in his hands onto the counter and took one step toward his child, tapping her gently on the forehead with two fingers.

"I'm sorry too. Ai."

_14 years earlier_

The sunrise looked like a bleeding gash on the horizon. The clouds gathered terrified, in bundles across the sky, as far from the red welt as they could get.

Up ahead the border of Konoha didn't have a gate anymore, it would need to be rebuilt. A large army of shinobi, wary and merry marched toward those gates, which was not but a small distance away.

The Konoha shinobi had varying degrees of injuries. The most critical were in the back platoon, carried in gurneys, aided by the medical nins. The front rows had the ones who could walk without crying out in pain, but all of them shared a collective look of relief. The wave of white hair belonging to a one eyed-nonchalant ninja could be spotted in the crowd. Kakashi led a small group, marching along side Guy Sensei and Sai. There were a number of palanquins present in the large crowd of ninjas, drawn by ox carts.

The war was finally over. After weeks away in foreign lands, attending burials, tending to the wounded, and participating in the second largest summit since the Allied Shinobi Forced gathered, they were finally coming home. The Kages were all alive and well, and after ensuring their continued alliance to one another, and their nations, everyone was eager to start the journey home so they could rest, mourn their fallen, tie up any loose ends, and most importantly celebrate with their families and friends waiting at home with them.

The Former rookies were somewhere near the front row, war-torn but with brave faces. Team 7 marched ahead of the rest, huddled together, holding each other up.

A blonde boy with whisker-marked cheeks, and vibrant azure eyes groaned in pain.

He was supported on the right by a boy with short raven hair and intense ebony eyes, and on the left by a girl with pink hair. The two boys seemed to have a contest of who looked more beaten up. A change of clothes and a few days rest didn't make their appearance any better. They had fading bruises and marks all over their arms and face.

Naruto spoke first his sharp, gravelly voice, punctured the quiet as they trudged on.

"Oh, man. I really could use some ramen, right now." He complained. A scowl formed on his face. "What in the hell was that crap Gaara gave us to eat. Remind me to never go to Suna if I'm hungry."

Sakura shook her head at him. Her pink hair was bit longer, and in a unruly mess. "Oh Naruto…how can you think about food right now? Seriously. Geez. I just want a hot shower." Sakura looked older dressed in her Konoha vest and pants, and had an almost accomplished air about her.

The kunoichi with the unnatural hued hair had the appearance of an incredibly intelligent girl and that behind her wide forehead and green eyes, she could think up a storm. She was sharp and attractive, but when she spoke in the presence of a certain dark-haired ninja, she ruined her image, coming off as undignified and brainless.

She had that damn impulse again. Sakura was aware of her tendencies, but couldn't break herself from it. She kept falling back into her habit, now ingrained in her as it were, and she reverted to the 13 year fan girl the moment she laid eyes on him.

She was speaking now.

"Sasuke-kun. Do you need me to come to that side—I'm sure Naruto doesn't need any more support." She paused ready to push the blonde away at a moment's notice, on the ebony-haired boy's command.

"What?! Hey, No fair Sakura-chan…! I'm gonna fall over if move!" Naruto wore a petulant expression, ready to go into full pout mood. He might have mastered the kyuubi mode, but he had mastered the art of pouting earlier.

Naruto looked older, more mature, stronger and wiser—but he could still whine like a five-year old at a moment's notice.

Sakura ignored him, craning her head toward Sasuke.

She had survived a lot, and proved to both herself and fellow comrades of her resilience during the war. But still, she couldn't hold back practically batting her lashes at Sasuke in this way. She chided herself inwardly. Every time she opened her mouth to say something normal, Sasuke's name in a really whiny voice would come out.

She would watch Naruto with a appreciative smile one second and want to compliment him for all he had done for her-and instead an insult or demeaning phrase would pop out of her lips before she could stop it from emerging.

Damn it. She widened her smile in frustration and called Sasuke's name again.

_Sassssuke-kuuuun._

The sound was shrill and whiny and hit the walls of Sasuke's ears with force. How did she manage to make her voice annoying? He had survived the war, but this made him wish Madara had done away with him. Almost.

Her annoying voice might have been a special ninjutsu.

Sasuke looked at both his teammates. No matter how long he was apart from them, or how strong they got, they never changed.

Stupid fools.

His Adonis' face smirked. "Sakura-" He addressed, turning his face toward her.

Naruto faced him to listen.

Sakura perked up. "Yes Sasuke-kun?"

"—Shut up. You guys are both just..Usuratonkachi."

His hair fell over his eyes for a moment, as he lowered his head briefly.

Before Naruto could protest at the raven boy's rudeness and Sakura could look thoroughly crushed, Sasuke fixed them with a gaze that released the tension on his eyebrows. The lines on his forehead smoothed out, his lips turned upward in a smile.

It was radiant, and silencing.

He held their gazes. There was genuine gratitude in Sasuke's eyes.

Naruto and Sakura stared at Sasuke in shock, eyes wide, mouth open.

They were bewitched.

The Uchihas' black strands ticked his cheeks as the wind stirred it into his face.

He removed his arm from around his teammate and walked on ahead. The two remaining friends were struck dumb and stood frozen, arm in arm.

Team 8 bumped into them at their sudden stop.

Hinata broke the silence.

"What's wrong Naruto-kun?" She questioned softly.

She had been listening to Kiba's long winded story and was distracted by Shino's sulking. She didn't witness the exchange between team 7. She just saw Sasuke walking ahead of them.

Naruto and Sakura smiled at each other, and laughed happily.

Hinata beamed at them, pleased they were getting along with no problems.

Sasuke had reached the gate first, and stepped over the mess of it. He made a regal figure in the lead.

The sight of their old friend, willingly striding into the village hidden in the leaves, their home, was more beautiful than the blushing sunset that stretched out. They didn't notice it at all.

They had witnessed their own heavenly sight after all.

It was imprinted onto their eyelids, and with goonie smiles plastered on their faces, they proceeded after their friend.

Home sweet home, here they come.

**Notes on some names:**

***Ai= Ay=love**

***Aoi= Ah-o-ee =blue**

**Read and Review! **


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, but I do own some sanity, of which I am equally proud of.**

**Chapter 2: Return to Konoha**

Sundays were somber and gray. It was no exception this particular weekend morning in Konoha.

The second week after the gang had returned to Konoha, they moved through their days in a languid routine. The village had a lot of reconstructing still going on. They had small, but important errands to run within the village itself. There were no long-term missions assigned for the time being. The tasks were short and mostly pertaining to brief exchanges of information.

The ninja of the hidden leaf village spent the first week sorting out their own affairs. The only one who was given no rest from the get go, was the female hokage herself.

The tall blonde woman was in a fever of work. She hadn't slept as much as she drafted and signed pages and pages consisting of formalities relevant to the new sleuth of treaties that she had brought back with her from the Second Kage Summit. It might have been the elation of the war finally being done with, or might been the desperate need to prevent something like this from ever happening again that spurred the Female Sanin uncharacteristically on. She had not taken a single moment to indulge her two favorite habits; sake and gambling.

This fever of work was infectious, because even the Konoha 11 were working tirelessly and the second week rolled by easily.

Hinata Hyuuga had arrived at her family estate and after initial greetings to her father, set about arranging things with her cousin. They had a lot to plan. Absent clan members from all areas gathered to have a family ceremony where they honored any of their kind who had fallen, and upcoming events for this year were drawn up. Temporary as well permanent responsibilities were assigned.

The war seemed to harden the fragile shell of Hinata Hyuuga, she found she had no time for tears. She was busy keeping herself useful; to feel sorry for herself or to dwell on things she couldn't change was something she would not do. When one had survived the war, one could only take a moment to feel down, in the wake of change. It was a new dawn and it seemed everyone sensed it. It was best to be grateful of all those who had come back alive.

The pearlescent eyes of Hinata, therefore abstained from any tearful indiscretions.

The former rookies, now older and wiser, had barely taken much time to interact with one another. Hinata had seen Shino and Kiba only once and could only wave at them for a moment before she rushed off.

The replacement member of team 7, having no family or clan to preoccupy his time, spent his week running errands for the Hokage and acting as a liaison between Tsunade and Kakashi.

Ino had mourned the loss of her father with her mother, and spent the rest of the time between the houses of the Akimichi and Nara Clans. They had similar losses and came together for dinner a couple of nights a week.

The Nara clan, led temporarily by Shikamara, did his best to arrange things the way his father would have. His sharp intellect and maturity utilized to not let a moment go to waste, Those qualities set him far above the other families in the completion of personal affairs. He also had a loyal partner in The Kazekage's sister when he needed to confer with Sunakagure for any assignments he received from the Hokage. They were an efficient duo.

The feisty, blonde perfectly complimented the genius of the newly made Jonin, and more often than not they didn't need to speak to work seamlessly with one another. It wasn't as the youngsters from Sunakagure had teased; they weren't quite in a relationship yet. At least they didn't discuss it. They didn't have time, but their perfect compatibility wasn't lost on either one of them. They were simple, no fuss shinobi, straight-forward and a lot more mature than any of the other ninja around them. They knew what they wanted and they wouldn't beat around the bush when the time to confess feelings came. Mutual respect and shared affectionate smiles were enough for the time-being.

Rock lee and TenTen worked mostly with kakashi-sensei along with Sai, neither of them seeming to want time to rest.

Team 7 was probably the only team allowed to rest more than anyone else. From the moment they had entered Konoha, they were given an indefinite order to go home and take a well-deserved break. Which might not have been fair or wise when there was so much to do, but their efforts in the war and the affection the Hokage held for them, didn't give anyone room to protest if they had wanted to.

Whether or not they actually took a break was another thing. At least for the first couple of days, they couldn't decline even if they had wanted to, and Naruto—if not the other two, complained all day about it, shouting that he wanted to help out but when they went to call on him, he couldn't be roused from sleep for three days.

Sasuke hadn't been given anything to do. He was given an apartment and told that he would be called on by the Hokage in a couple of days—days which turned into a week.

Sakura went to help out at the hospital for any tasks she could be given. But today in particular, in the midst of the second week she had been called to attend a mission with Sai. But before that, she had received a special summons from the Hyuuga clan—which surprised her. She was getting ready to head there now.

The emerald-eyed Shinobi shook out her pink hair, beads of water flying off at the movement; she was in the bathroom of the hospital rinsing her face.

"Ah! That's much better." She sighed. The cold water had been comforting. She pulled a small backpack from the floor where she had set it to rest, and took out a change of clothes. The weather was starting to get chilly, and she shimmied out her navy-blue skirt, in favor of some long standard Jonin pants.

Konoha had a number of promotions in the middle of the first week, so that the obviously qualified Chunin could move up a rank.

Sakura had received her Jonin vest, in a small and rushed ceremony. It was only her and couple of ninjas, including Shikamaru and few of the other Konoha 11. It was hard to get permission from the remaining members of the council but they had budged under the pressure of being out of sorts, Tsunade had asked them the very second day they returned.

She had used a clever tactic, the kind employed by kids under seven, to pester their parents into consenting to things when they were at their most rushed, when running out the door at a hectic moment. The kids causing the parents to agree in the moment without giving the matter a thorough evaluation.

It might have worked once, and thus resulted in the initiation of a handful of Shinobi. After the council had realized what they had allowed, they refused the larger scale ceremony that the Hokage had suggested for later this week.

Sakura giggled as she wiggled from her cotton shirt, to put the long-sleeved, black Jonin-issue shirt. Her Shishou could be so childish despite how old she was.

Looking at the tragic tangles of her hair in the small hospital mirror, Sakura pulled out a small comb from the smallest compartment of her backpack. She brushed her pink strands until they weren't sticking up in dishevelment.

Now, onto the Hyuuga manor.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The ceiling fan whirred; the sound of whipping wooden panels was the only hum in the darkened room. Sasuke lay sprawled on his bed, arms out, legs parallel. His shoulder length ebony hair spread out in disarray. The light filtered through the blinds, casting slits of light across his walls.

Tired dark circles were present under Sasuke's eyes.

His forehead had a sheen of sweat adhered to it. He breathed in and out slowly. The Uchiha sighed and sat up. His bed creaked. He surveyed his room with dull eyes, barely a spark of interest. Books were arranged neatly on the shelves, his dresser looking less than used. Every item and piece of furniture, except his mussed bed, was meticulous.

The look was less homey and gave the room and the apartment a deadened feel, like a cemetery after nightfall. A healthy mess was needed once in a while. But Sasuke couldn't make himself leave anything out of place. It set his teeth on edge. He craved order, and if he couldn't achieve perfection with the people in his life, than he would manifest it in his care of objects.

The dark-haired boy had lived a messy life; things were always out of place. Emotionally.

His family.

His relationships…

Himself.

Sasuke made sure his living arrangements were the exception.

The raven got up, throwing the sheets from his body like they were on fire and letting it fall on his oak boards. His feet stepping onto the cold floor, jolting him awake.

He glanced up at the blinds, seeing a crack of the Konoha sky in his hitched up shutters. The light hurt his eyes somehow.

The sight of the rosy sky, and the faint buzz of activity as the Shinobi village woke up, grated on his nerves.

He exited his bedroom, and walked into the living room. The arrogant Uchiha looked considerably subdued with bed head, clothes rumpled, staring blankly at his empty residence.

There was no one to act tough for. And the silence bounced sharply through his ears, flushing any defiance from his eyes. The pale ivory-skinned Uchiha held his mouth in a tight line.

The kitchen made noises; the squeak of a thermos closed too tightly, air attempting to escape from it, the refrigerator starting up with its hum, whirring into life.

Why was everything so empty?

Why _did_ he notice it?

Solitude was always a drug he sought, and couldn't get enough of it. Sasuke despised other voices or another's presence washing away the delicious silence that rang in his head, the inner ping-pong match, back and forth, back and forth.

It was refreshing. The quiet sharpened his focus and let his brain muscles stretch leisurely, allowing him to analyzed situations and courses of action.

Sasuke was the type to catch on quickly.

But it was this same mindset, his process in relishing intellectual prowess which caused him to become arrogant, and as a result, isolated him further.

_Like itachi said._

The vision of his older brother, sitting on the porch with him as his seven year old self gazed up admiringly, invaded Sasuke's skull.

_Being the best isn't all it's made out to be, when you have power you become arrogant and isolated from the world. No matter how coveted and sought-after you were in the beginning._

The Raven's heel hit the wall as he stepped back, finding it all unbearable. The echo of nothing going on, threatening to stretch across the span of his life.

This…nothingness.

There had to be more.

A rustle of a bird settling on his window and banging its beak on the panes, lifted him out of his thoughts.

Sasuke walked to his bathroom, grabbed a towel from a carefully marked area, and shut the door behind him.

The sound of water running filled the empty apartment.

Like the sound of rain.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sitting up staring out his window, Sasuke turned to his door as he felt a presence. A knock sounded moments later.

Sasuke huffed, dropping down from his window seat to unlatch the door and stare without amusement at the two Anbu standing there.

"Yeah, what do you guys want."

"Hokage-sama has called for you. You are to follow us."

"Hn.

The apartment locked behind the Dark-haired Shinobi as he stepped out and closed it behind him.

He was wearing black pants and a navy blue shirt that was cut low on his collarbone.

Sasuke looked up at the horizon, it was dawn.

His hand shielded his eyes from the glare of morning light. He stood, his clothes rustling in the breeze, a heavy wind shaking his graceful frame.

The Uchiha narrowed his eyes and stared at the sun, his black curtain of hair billowing around his exposed neck.

"Let's go." The command became a faint whisper in the howling wind. The three figures disappeared over the rooftops.

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_Hot, purple flames surrounded him. It nipped at his hair, eyes and clothes. It consumed his body, licking his form with its waves of darkness. Every molecule in his body hurt._

_Every atom._

_Susanoo'. _

_His red eyes faded to black, the pain was so great he couldn't maintain his bloodline trait: the Sharingan._

_He was coughing up blood on the floor. Despite feeling so weak, limp black strands bowing down as he lay on his knees—something inside him burned stronger._

_It was a flame that couldn't be doused with water._

_It was a flame that didn't surround his body, it surrounded his soul._

_It brought a starved, darkly amused smirk to his lips, even though he didn't have the strength to breathe right, let alone to find anything amusing._

_But in the throes of insanity, though nothing is funny, everything is hilarious._

_His raised his blurred eyes to the distant figure in front of him._

_In blue, red-brown hair—red—fire? Hot lava danced in the background behind her, she—their mistress._

_Her upturned lips were confident but precise._

_His arrogance didn't allow him to see past her the fact that she was a woman._

_A woman. She couldn't stop him, she hadn't the balls._

_Compared to all the Kage—what could a woman do?_

_He entertained his misogynistic thoughts even as his arms burned from her attack. The figure in the distance adjusting the pH to acidic temperatures, burning him—burning him as he was burning on the inside._

_How poetic._

_Disbelief formed like a cloud over him at his weakened state._

_I'm not going to lose, his constant and prevailing thought._

_He stared down the figure panting, his hand reddened from the acid in the atmosphere._

_Even on his knees, he was arrogant. His one thought 'like hell she's going to beat me.'_

_Even as his chakra levels teetered on dangerously low._

_But it felt so good—the darkness, the hatred swimming in his body, clouding his mind. A drug. A heady drug. The ache of pain with his half-body Susanoo' activated._

_How did Itachi endure? _

_Pink lips, curls of reddish-brown hair, bright green eyes. The woman seemed to swat her eyes at him like he was a fly. You must die now._

_Her words were a challenge to his ears. The idea—an impossibility. _

A hand hit his forehead.

Sasuke's eyes flew open.

Itachi?!

No. Bright blue eyes were peering down at him in concern.

"Naruto?" his mouth spit the name out, his voice hinging on disbelief. How—what?

Sasuke blinked. The Raven took a moment to gauge his surroundings. He was lying on a park bench. He held his head. So he had fallen asleep.

How weird for him to dream about the Kage Summit. Of all the things he'd done, that wasn't high on his repentant list.

A crop of pink hair announced its presence. S_akura._

He turned his eyes to face them, trying as he could to hold back his irritated mood.

His teammates hovered over him, watching him carefully, as if treading on fragile ice. They were silent.

"Yes?" Sasuke helped them along. His annoyance growing, he tried to suppress it. He hated that look in their eyes.

Naruto leaned back away from him, grinning at his tone; Sakura crossed her hands behind her back. They both gave an easy smile. _Sasuke_, their eyes seem to say with affection.

He would've liked a few moments alone to examine his thoughts.

"You were supposed to meet us and we find you asleep here. Luckily we were passing by and saw _your highness_ asleep." Naruto explained, with the audacity to mock.

Sasuke threw his feet forward off the bench, coming to a sitting position. He kept his right hand pressed against the cold bench, reassuring himself that he was _awake_ and _that_ had been the dream, and not this.

This—the sun colliding with the clouds in a powerful thrust of sunshine, spilling heat into the atmosphere.

No revenge. No hatred. No battle.

No—hunger. His left hand moved from his eyes, that gesture of a headache and frustration. He dropped it to his other side.

A nice day. Warm, inviting, sunshine. People alive, breathing. Peace.

The female of team 7 spoke up. "Sasuke-kun? You must be tired to fall asleep like that. Maybe you should go home and rest?"

Sasuke focused on the tree behind his teammates. It was still there. The bench had been ground to rumble, and reconstructed from wood, but the tree—in a odd twist of fate, withstood the destruction the village underwent. It stood tall and proud, amid the chaos all around.

Like him.

Naruto and Sakura exchanged a slow glance before following the direction of Sasuke's gaze.

The blonde gave a lopsided smile. "You still remember Sasuke? That time I knocked you out, and transformed into you." Naruto basked for a moment in that memory, he all but snickered. It was so childish; his rival almost felt the need to kick him.

"I came here and Sakura-chan—"

A dark scowl formed on the said girl's face.

Naruto quickly moved on. "Anyway, we have a lot of memories here-hehheh…I tried the sexy Jutsu on you here…though it didn't work. And we met Kakashi sensei here a lot of times. He was late, of course." Naruto shook his head in remembrance of their snarky and tardy sensei.

Sakura smiled fondly, but then her thoughts turned to the negative memories associated with this place.

The apprentice of the only female Sanin bit her lip, recalling her painful confession to Sasuke as he planned to leave the village. She instinctively grasped her heart, holding her hand to her chest. That feeling of pain resonated in her still. It was many years ago, but when you're young, your first moments of pain and desperation never leave you.

Sasuke, contemplative, looked away from the tree, turned to glance warily at Sakura, sensing her mood.

For all those people who had someone carry a torch for them, without rhyme or reason, know that the burden of being in that person's presence as they look at you like you carry their world on their shoulders, is too much.

Naruto sensed the tensed atmosphere.

"Come on, you guys. The gang is waiting for us." The Jinchuuriki clapped a hand on the Uchiha's shoulder and forcefully steered him along, giving him an ungrateful shove.

"Gang?" The Raven's mouth evened into a thin line.

"Yeah, didn't I say where we were going?" Naruto remarked innocently.

'No, you left that part out. "

"Did you think it was training? Ha, like we have time for that. We have missions and village work, day In and out." Naruto huffed, seeming put out.

Sakura followed her boys. A sad twinkle in her eyes. She brushed off her gloomy mood, and put a smile on her face, keeping up with their pace.

**Review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, if I did, I'd go crazy from all the fans demands. Instead, I own some sanity, of which I'm equally proud.**

**Chapter 3: Shikamaru's advice**

The Konoha interrogation division was cold both in a metaphorical and physical sense.

It was noon and Karin was at the front desk, in the waiting area, sitting on an uncomfortable chair. 'Why am I back in here, for God's sake' She wondered indignantly.

Kakashi Hatake entered through the front door and walked up to the desk, he had a file in his hands. His wisp of white hair flopped when he turned in her direction.

"Hi. There." He held up his hand in a friendly wave.

Karin stomped out of her seat and walked up to him until she was face level. "Can you tell me why they asked me to come here—again? Haven't I done enough! Haven't I proven myself enough?! I told them I want to stay in this village, but I would like to not have to deal with this—damn Siberia!"

She shouted the last bit into his face, until spit flew around.

'My, my—uh.." Kakashi looked around, hoping to find someone to pass this crazy chick to. "Ah-ha. Look you sit here, one more time—no, no it's okay, sit. I will go in the back and get Ibika."

He practically flew off.

Karin gave a loud groan of exasperation. Her mind immediately went to her happy place. Her realm of daydreams.

_Sasuke._

The red-head moaned sweetly. 'The moment I get of here, I'm going to find him.' She swore, throwing her fist into the air, determined.

Before she could lose herself in a glorious fantasy, which was an image of her dressed in white with a tamed Sasuke on her arm, the Silver-haired Shinobi had returned.

"Well, it looks like they just need you to sign a paper reaffirming your statement to become part of Konoha, and you'll be off." Kakashi informed her good-naturedly. "They were just waiting for me to deliver them, so I have them right here. Sorry for the wait." The Jonin whipped the document from behind his back and presented to her, he held a pen out with his other hand.

"So you're the reason I've had to sit here for hours." Karin complained, but her pout began to fade at the smooth man's amiability. He had a reassuring quality about him, almost like that Naruto-fellow.

'Just this little thing and I can go find my Uchiha.' Karin thought to herself gleefully as she signed the papers in front of her. She handed it to the absent-minded nin and told him not to lose them, there was no way she wanted to come back here again.

Ino Yamanaka was staring at Sasuke Uchiha like he was a juicy piece of steak. The pale Uchiha pretended not to notice. Karin to his left was salivating like a puppy-dog, and Sakura was glaring at the both of them and scooting possessively toward her teammate.

Sasuke turned to face his blonde-haired, black whisker marked friend.

It was all his fault. The gang, right, more like the asylum.

Naruto was happily stuffing his mouth. Hinata was talking to Shino and Kiba, but glancing over at the blonde fondly when he addressed her, which was to ask her if she was going to eat the food on her plate. However, when she passed it to him, they exchanged an earnest glance, which was not about food in anyway.

The Uchiha watched them, his expression almost curious.

"Sasuke." Kakashi addressed him. "I'm going out to the mountains to get in some training tomorrow after my mission. If you like, you can join me."

Sasuke closed his eyes, long charcoal strands brushing against his nose as he smirked and turned away. "No thanks."

The Silver-haired sensei nodded once "Alright." He moved on succinctly without question, addressing the group, with a clap of his hands, as he spoke louder. I'm off you guys. Naruto—"An obvious cloud of warmth passed over the older man's eyes. "I will make sure to let you know when I'm about to leave for Sunakagure."

Naruto gave him an 'mm-hm' his mouth full of food, distracted by the somewhat cold exchange between his best friend and sensei.

Kakashi disappeared in a poof.

The blonde Jinchuriki passed his food down with a chug of water. After a satisfied drink, he turned to Sasuke. Before he could open his mouth, the raven spoke first.

"I have something to do tomorrow; I don't need him to pity me."

"So there's nothing wrong?"

"No."

"I mean you guys are getting along right?"

"Of course." Then Sasuke added pointedly, a flicker of amusement drawn over his features. "He has a new favorite student now, didn't you notice."

"What's that suppose to mean?"

"I hardly think he'll concern himself with me anymore."

"You think he was just asking to be polite. But you're wrong, ya know."

The raven shrugged, "He's not my sensei anymore. I don't care."

Naruto gazed at his friend thoughtfully. "Whatever you say, Sasuke."

Sakura was listening to their conversation; she felt for Sasuke, he must feel so displaced and—awkward? Was it? Could it be because he felt Kakashi hadn't forgiven him for trying to kill him? Their sensei wasn't the type to hold grudges like that. He'd been through a lot, and that couldn't have been it, Kakashi had certainly seen enough in his lifetime for him not to be affected by such things.

The young Shinobi had dispersed to go about their business, after their joint lunch.

Sakura, surprisingly, left ahead of everyone. Karin and Ino looked up in surprise when she excused herself and said she had an errand to run. Hinata got out of her seat at Sakura's comment, and said she'd join her. After giving Naruto a sweet smile and a parting comment. The two girls, who had rarely talked, seemed to share a confidence they hadn't before and departed together.

Karin was just about to make her move, when fate, much to Sasuke's benefit, intervened. Ibiki appeared behind her, and dragged her off saying he didn't receive some papers.

Naruto waved to Shino and Kiba as he made his way out as well, walking with the silent raven. Only Sasuke had nothing in particular to attend to. They walked together to the halfway point between the Hokage's office and Sasuke's apartment. Their path was intercepted by Inoichi's daughter. Naruto grinned at his friend, patted him on the shoulder and left the two alone.

Sasuke glared after him, before warily turning to the waiting girl.

Ino Yamanaka sat on Chouji's couch stuffing potato chips into her mouth. Her 'pleasantly plump' teammate watched her devour his snack with more gusto than a starved babe in a forest.

"Uh..Ino?" Chouji hesitated, watching her carefully. He lifted his hand to tap her shoulder.

The light blue eyes that peered back at him were intimidating. The skinny blonde kunoichi, who liked to keep her figure as lean as she could manage, didn't usually pig out on trans fats.

"Ino, what's wrong?" Chouji ventured to ask. "You were fine before you came back from lunch. Did you see your mom? Did she give you a hard time? Is she still…you know…a mess? Don't worry about it, Ino. My mom went over to comfort her. They were friends for a long time. And they both lost their husbands, they'll get through it together."

Ino seemed to sober for a moment from her bad mood, then she dug her hands into the crinkly package once more.

Chouji put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. Ino shook it off. "You can save it, Chouji. I'm not upset because of my mother." For a moment she lowered the potato chip bag. "My dad died a hero as far as I'm concerned. He wouldn't want me to be a useless lump about it. It's not that."

Ino noticed Chouji's bewildered look, he wasn't good at deciphering girls' feelings. He looked at a loss as what to do.

Ino sat up, put the now emptied bag of chips to her side. Chouji picked it up mournfully, then threw it into a wastebasket.

"I'm proud of myself, you know that Chouji." Ino said conversationally, she flipped her long blonde ponytail back. "I didn't think I could change this much. " This last part she whispered.

"It made me start thinking about what other aspects of my life, I could face without running away. I remembered what Asuma said. "

Suddenly she stood up from the couch, brushed the crumbs from her orange t-shirt and black tights, which flattered her long legs.

"I told myself I wouldn't lose to Sakura!" She all but growled this part out.

Chouji listened, a confused look clouding his face again.

Hit with some type of realization. Ino slumped back on the couch. She tucked her legs to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. "I really thought I could win."

"What are you talking about? Did you guys fight?" Chouji asked in surprise.

The living room they were sitting on was across from the main hall. A couple of Akimichi clan members passed by, removing their shoes at the door. Shikamaru's mom was entering as well. Chouji gently waved to her before turning back to his teammate.

"Ino." He prodded softly, begging her to confide in him.

"What other reason do you need to like a guy." Ino mumbled to herself. She raised her head and addressed Chouji. "If you liked someone and they asked you—what would you say?" She didn't wait for him to reply. "I promised myself I wouldn't lose to Sakura. That I wouldn't let her have Sasuke. I meant it. "

Chouji seemed to get what his friend was hinting at. "So you guys fought over Sasuke?"

"No." Ino muttered. "I think I'm just a really selfish, superficial girl."

"Ino, you're not superficial."

It was Shikamaru's voice. He had entered through the front door, and was setting his shoes down in the hall, before climbing onto the single step, leading to the small living area where Ino and Chouji were seated. He plopped down on the couch with them.

"Yes I am." Ino answered stubbornly. "I mean, I must be. When Sasuke asked me why I was interested in him, I couldn't give him a good answer. I sounded so lame."

Shikamaru gestured for Chouji to scoot over and sat next to Ino. "So you confronted Sasuke about your feelings?"

"Today after lunch, when he was heading to his apartment, I caught up with him and Naruto. I asked him out and he refused me." Ino seemed to cringe at the memory. "Dammit, I couldn't even think, he just looked so beautiful!"

Shikamaru opted to be silent.

Ino continued. "He asked me why I wanted to date him—and for the record he didn't ask me the way a guy just asks, like curiously—He looked like he was asking for some deep philosophical answer to the question! It made me all flustered!"

Shikamaru and Chouji exchanged a glance. The Nara boy spoke first. "What did you say?"

"I told him I liked him from the first time I saw him as a kid. I told him how I was attracted to him throughout my teen years. I told him...the way he made me feel. And he just….acted like I said something stupid." Ino looked up at Shikamaru and Chouji. "Okay, I might have a superficial reason, but I'm really…" Tears gathered in her light blue eyes. "—I-I'm really in love with him! My heart doesn't stop beating really hard when I see him, and I can't stop dreaming about his face. " Ino wiped away her tears. "I know what you guys must be thinking—is that all I can think about. But part of moving on is finding a new life. I thought when Sasuke returned that I could be with him. I thought he would accept my feelings. It's not fair. I'm a pretty girl, lots of guys think so! Actually if you're a man, why would you not want to pay attention to an attractive girl! I don't get it. Doesn't he think I'm good-looking, am I really that repulsive?"

Shikamaru looked thoughtfully at his blonde friend. "What exactly did Sasuke say that made you think he rejected you?"

Ino's eyes looked distant. She seemed to be reliving the moment. "He basically told me…that he wouldn't go out with me ever, and that I should give up on him. He didn't even give me a chance. How do you know you don't like someone if you don't take the chance to get to know them!" Ino shouted the last part at her friends.

Shikamaru chuckled and put his arm on Ino's shoulder. "Listen. You don't need Sasuke."

Ino looked at her best friend earnestly. "Why not?"

"Let's start with how he doesn't deserve you. I don't know what you women are thinking, but why would you want to chase a former rogue ninja, who doesn't even care if you live or die? I know Ino, that you're much better than that. What you feel for Sasuke is not love." Shikamaru shrugged amused. "I shouldn't be the one to lecture you on that, I'm not such an expert. But a person has to respect you for you-everything about you, to deserve your love. You might feel like you're in love, but you've only accustomed your heart to react to him. if you stop gazing at him, it'll fade. The heart can be fooled to fall in love with a person's looks, it's not that you're superficial, at all. Don't think that."

Chouji placed a hand on Shikamaru's shoulder. "He's right." He told Ino with a smile. "

Shikamaru looked pensive for a moment, as a curious Ino stared up at him. "When you're really falling for that person, you think of the most unattractive things. How you guys will wash dishes together, change really dirty diapers of your children, how your grandchildren will look, sappy things that old people think of. You'll see a real future with them. I can't tell you what feeling to look for, but you won't be blinded completely by the physical side of things. The person might be attractive to you, in looks, but you'll pay more attention to the way they can compliment you, the way they can hold you up when you're down and feel like you can't stand it all. Basically, if you can imagine being at your worst, and that person being able to stand by your side-the kind of person you can count on—that is how you'll know."

Shikamaru's speech sent a hushed silence over the living room. Ino and Chouji exchanged a glance with each other, as their friend stared off into the distance. "You don't want Sasuke to like you because of your looks, even if he were to, that wouldn't satisfy you. Trust me. A man who you get under such a flimsy pretense, won't stick around with you for long. He won't be the kind of person to stand in a rain of fire with you. That is what you should be looking for. This life is really harsh after all. You need someone who can be your umbrella."

The genius of the Nara clan, sat back into the folds of the couch, leaning there, his friends at his side were listening attentively. "We guys—the decent bunch of us—don't just look for some pretty girl. We want someone who will stick around for us, and really hold us up when we feel like everything is going to hell. If a girl is pretty, can be dependable, and tolerates our annoying quirks—well—that's when a man—becomes a man."

Chouji looked admiringly at his closest pal. 'He must be thinking of what his dad told him.' The plump ninja thought, recalling when they were Genin and Shikamaru had told him how he didn't understand his dad's words. Well, it looked like he'd finally got it. Shikamaru really had become the most mature of them all.

**So next time, Sasuke goes on a date?! or not? There will be some more serious things happening so stay tuned.**

**Review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Aren't you glad? I'd bring a lot of characters back from the dead.**

**Author's Note: I need to stop getting distracted by side characters and refocus the story on Sasuke.**

**Don't worry, it's getting there!**

**I just didn't want to zoom in on Sasuke's various dramas and blatantly ignore all other characters like they were silhouettes..er..whatever.**

**Chapter 4: News, Nightmare, and a Question**

The doors to the Hokage's office were opened.

"Sasuke, Come in."

The ebony-haired shinobi strode in, already in the middle of the room before the consent was given.

Tsunade smirked, her blonde hair framed by the sunlight beaming through the glass window behind her.

It was now about seven in the morning. An Anbu had been dispatched to Sasuke's apartment early morning to summon him.

The pale albino raised an elegant eyebrow in question to the female Hokage.

He had just gotten out of the shower and was drying off when the knock had sounded on his door.

"We have a mission for you. Tsunade said getting to the point.

There was a hint of surprise on Sasuke's features. But he didn't speak, opting to listen to the rest before commenting.

"You might be wondering why we're allowing you to take a mission, before we've decided what to do with you. The answer is simple. We _haven't_ decided what to do with you, and frankly we don't have time to engage in long hearing proceedings on one of our own, especially given that you're not likely to be a threat. Now, having said that you'll expect to have restrictions placed on you which will not be lifted until a given period of time has elapsed." Tsunade paused; she had her hands laced in front of her studying the stoic ninja for any sign of emotion, positive or negative.

Sasuke seem to absorb her words with a measure of interest, but gave no outward expression, verbally or otherwise. He was concentrating on her words, most likely figuring that there was no point in any display of joy or anger until all the cards were laid on the table, so to speak.

Tsunade suppressed a smile as she imagined Naruto would never give her that much attention without interrupting her at least ten times. The Godiame smiled momentarily at the thought of the spiky haired kid whom she had so much affection towards.

There seemed to be a palpable tension in the room, emanating from the Anbu in the back. They were reacting to the news and not taking it well. It wasn't surprising after all the damage that the Uchiha wrought, the fact that he was going to get away it was disconcerting, to say the least.

Especially for the Anbu members who had served under the Hokage to witness the daily news of Sasuke Uchiha's traitorous exploits and their effects to fellow Shinobi, their Hokage and the village overall.

It was hard to let it all go for ninja who had witnessed the metaphorical 'tug of war' in the last survivor of the Uchiha clan's loyalties. The final sever of the 'rope' was enough to test their patience.

Straight-laced Shinobi had a harder time, the bending of sacred rules and procedures was enough to send them over the edge. These Anbu didn't have anything to connect them to the youngest living Uchiha. The Hokage's leniency towards him resulted in her making compromises in what she could consider a 'rogue' Shinobi, for the sake of her apprentice and a certain blonde haired kid who could sway hearts as easily as the moon could waves on the ocean shore.

They, the Anbu elite, could not accept him. They were not a monolithic block, however and those were the feelings of only a few. The rest choose to trust their leader's judgment or just opt in favor of disinterest in the matter altogether.

The blonde Sanin passed her eye over her Anbu, catching the disapproval and malice in the vibe of their chakras. She sighed inwardly, then pressed her eyes to the immobile Uchiha.

He stood like a like a tree rooted to the ground in the center of her office. It was strange to realize how different he was from his team 7 members. He didn't have to blink, but you could sense how intelligent he was.

The Sanin let her hands fall, and picked up a folder in her hands, she stared at it for a moment, turning over the contents in her mind without physically having to go over them.

Obviously this wasn't a situation she had just rushed into, careful planning and weeks of thinking were foretold by her expression.

Tsunade bit her red fingernail, setting the folder and its contents back under her palm on the table.

Perhaps it wasn't such a good idea.

"I won't repeat the obvious; you should know full well why you are even being reconsidered as a Konoha shinobi." She paused again, this time not so much as to gauge his reaction, but to let those words hang in the air and stress their importance.

She continued. "It might be reckless and it might be the worse mistake I'm making. however with the deaths of Koharu and Himura, selections are being made to decide who will serve as the new heads of council. We don't have a lot time to for waiting and watching. So we're going to skip all the preliminaries, and reinstate you. "

A hue of relief seemed to color Sasuke's face. It also could've been the light from the rising sun passing shadows across his face.

"The reason I called for you this morning was to inform you that we will be having a ceremony for new recruits, and I want you to join in with the newbie's as they receive their headbands and swear their oaths. Afterwards, you will be officially considered a leaf shinobi. Believe it or not, the time after a war has ended is the most critical and dangerous period. New alliances are being solidified, damage control is being worked out with the smaller nations, amongst a host of other things. As you can imagine, this is not a walk in the park. We're as short-hand and stressed as we were when preparing for this war. I won't bore you with anymore details, but here's the crux of it—we need every man pulling his weight, and you're being given a second chance, not out of kindness but out of necessity. And I'm going to tell you not to do anything to betray our confidence in you, because I'm assigning you a mission with the assumption that you _will not_ attempt such a thing. keep yourself above suspicion, and do not so much as _act_ in any way that could cast you the slightest negative light. "

Tsunade stopped talking at the sight of a single line forming across the svelte raven's forehead. Her tone had darkened as she neared the end of her speech.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "So basically, I'm not to so much as breathe the wrong way or you'll negate all the privileges and lock me up." The Uchiha paused. "No." His mouth straightened out into an almost amused form. "No—you can't lock me up. Your orders, if I don't comply, are that you take my life."

"That wouldn't be the only thing we'd take from you." This response was sharp, threatening and direct.

"Of course." Sasuke spoke this without the slightest hint of surprise. Of course, of course, of course. It was all they cared about. "The other council members aren't so much in the background as they might seem."

Tsunade gave no comment. She didn't particularly revel in his situation, although she wasn't his number one fan either.

"'I think I'll hold off on explaining the mission, just know that you'll be on stand-by until it comes time for you to leave. I'll save the explanation of your restrictions for then." The blonde, busty Sanin continued as if she hadn't suggested anything that was even slightly unpleasant a second ago. It was her being a Medic Nin that gave her experience with delivering bad news, it didn't faze her and she spoke strictly but with a great deal of warmth, and for those who knew her, could recognize she was the last person to ever take pleasure in someone else's discomfort or pain. She wouldn't presume, she had gone through too much of her own.

"You're dismissed, unless you have any questions or something to add?" The Godiame remarked, waiting for his response.

Sasuke turned around, as if to leave. The red and white symbol displayed across his gray white shirt, fluttered from the slight draft given off by the single window in the room.

"Yamato or Naruto. Either of them will be fine with me. You can pick." The ivory-skinned boy stated before he walked out slowly, shutting the door behind him.

Tsunade stared after him for a second. She settled back in her seat and a laugh escaped her.

"Yes, he's very astute."

"Sasuke-kun!"

Sakura Haruno ran the small distance to catch up with the tall Uchiha.

He stopped. A blush covered her face when he raised an eyebrow at her silence.

They were standing in the streets of konoha, it was nearly nightfall.

Sasuke's face didn't betray exasperation, but he felt a hint of it. He closed his eyes briefly then he started walking again, Sakura fell into step with him.

The pink-haired Shinobi felt awkward and wracked her brain for something to say. Dammit, why couldn't she remember what she was going to say? She hadn't thought that far ahead when she called out to him. She had seen him across the street and couldn't hold the urge to yell his name. It had been an entire week since she last saw him.

There was a weird buzz in her stomach. She bit her lip. She often forgot how to act with 'this Sasuke.' He might have been the same person, but he felt like a stranger to her. It was like when someone was absent from your life for long period and you found the business of getting into the groove of things difficult. Little things changed about a person by time, until they added up to big things, suddenly the exchanges between you and that individual were different. They had new habits or their unique traits were less pronounced, so much so that you could hardly see the old person reflected them anymore.

That's how she felt right now.

They had been walking for a while. The lights of the small shops illuminated the streets. They passed a group of laughing Jonin. A brown haired man in the bunch turned to look at them as they passed, wearing a hostile expression, but ultimately made no comment.

Sasuke didn't give any indication that he'd noticed.

Sakura could see Ichiraku up ahead. The old man and his daughter were bustling around, they had a bunch of customers, mostly smaller children.

Her emerald eyes softened as she glanced up to study the ebony-haired Uchiha's side profile.

Sasuke still retained his classic chiseled features, petulant mouth, and eyes that referenced the darkest pits of hell, radiating with an expression that could be interpreted as 'insolence'. His hair grew out almost to shoulder length, like he couldn't be bothered to trim it. Thin, flat strands hung down around his eyes and the center of his forehead almost reaching up to his nose.

I wonder how much has he changed internally? She thought. He didn't have his 'quest of revenge' to deal with anymore, itachi was gone. That side of his life was resolved. It felt like a chance for a new beginning. Would this Sasuke reject her too?

"Sakura." The Uchiha's voice startled her out of her thoughts.

The pale-faced shinobi spoke up, he raised his hands out of his pockets. He didn't look over at her.

"Yes? What is it Sasuke-kun." She smiled with trepidation.

"Let's go eat." He stated plainly.

Sakura almost stepped off the curb and twisted her ankle.

"Huhn?!"

The world is going to end tomorrow. The female member of team 7 thought, frowning while fighting a desperately happy smile off her face.

A plate of steaming warm food was placed in front of her. The heat fanned over Sakura's face. She reveled in the steam for a moment before she noticed something unpleasant in her surroundings.

The man who served the Uchiha practically slammed the plate down, his expression of absolute loathing obvious.

Sasuke sitting to her right, ignored that, unsticking his chopsticks. He was carefully arranging his plate, napkin and utensils around with care. There was something looming in his eyes that suggested of distraction.

She decided to pretend she didn't notice. She focused on the Uchiha.

Sakura would perk up and start to say something, and then frown at herself choosing to gush mentally at the situation for a while, before reality could shatter everything.

"Did you just return from a mission." The ebony haired boy asked, posing it like a statement.

Sakura fought the urge to look both ways and say 'Me? You're talking to me?' She held in that impulse and instead, nodded enthusiastically.

"It was similar to the one I went on with Sai, last week. We went to the border of the hidden mist to deliver some documents. It's the kind of thing we've been doing lately. Nothing interesting."

"And Naruto?"

Sakura couldn't stop a small smile from forming on her face. She loved the way he said that, and at the same time it made her jealous. But she knew she could never hope to rival the brotherly bond between her two teammates. Ultimately because of her gender, she couldn't be close to Sasuke in that way. The untainted love that comes from one of your own sex is a comfort, and it could be deeper than an actual blood relation. She could see that in their interactions, they were like extensions of one another. Their shared burdens had made them soul-mates of the friendship variety.

She had been silently thinking all of this and forgot the question the raven had posed. He turned to look at her expectantly, but with a slight wariness.

"Oh! Naruto…yeah, I'm not sure actually." Sakura felt slightly embarrassed, she hadn't even thought of Naruto this week, and it just occurred to her that he hadn't been around. She put her finger to her lips in contemplation. Where had she last seen him?

Sasuke seemed to read her complete ignorance of the blonde's whereabouts on her face. He gave a 'humph' and took a bit of his food. When he swallowed, he chuckled, his chopstick raised. "I half expected that fool to come swinging on a vine when I was meeting with the hokage."

Sakura was distracted by two things at that moment, one completely and utterly superficial and the other of vital importance. The irrelevant thing was the first to pass over her.

_Sasuke looks so hot when he laughs like that. God, I think I just wet myself from the excitement of seeing that. How can a guy be so beautiful?!_

_Goodness_ _your priorities, _Inner Sakura remarked.

Shaking off her naughty and childish inner self, she focused on the relevant issue at hand.

"You met with the hokage?!" Alarm rang through her like bells, she had her green eyes wide as she looked at Sasuke with bated breath. "What did she say?! Er—well what was the decision, I mean what did the council decide? Are they letting you off, are you going to be punished—" At the thought of this, the pink-haired Medic Nin jumped from her seat, the metal stool scrapping the ground. "No, Sasuke-kun don't tell me they-!"

A look of absolute horror swept over her face.

Sasuke had been eating peacefully one moment and subjected to dramatic outburst the next, looked up at Sakura with something akin to surprise on his face. Disbelief?

'He's eating his last meal. That's why he asked me here. I should of known something was up!'

Sasuke seemed to detect the escalating panic in his teammates face, he pushed her arm down with the end of his left chopstick until she was seated once again.

"Now just calm down." The Uchiha instructed with a frown forming fast across his eyebrows. Sakura's eyes were starting to go misty.

"I'm fine." He stressed again, an almost puzzled look climbing over his features. He gave a big sigh.

The pink-haired girl looked imploringly at him. "What does that mean? They're not punishing you? You're not going away are? Are they kicking you out of Konoha? They're not going to imprison you-'

"I'm forgiven" Sasuke cut her off.

"Hu—" shock knocked the breath from Sakura.

A moment passed as the words sunk in.

"What do you mean by that?" she whispered when she regained her voice.

Confident that the crisis had been averted and his teammate wasn't going to start crying, Sasuke turned away. He stared at his plate before he spoke. "Nothing is official, that's really all the Hokage told me. She did indicate that I would be going on a mission soon, so that seems to suggest a great deal."

There was no reply from beside him.

The dark-haired Uchiha bit his lip. His strands fell forward to cover his eyes. There was an unmistakable growl that issued from his mouth. "Damn it." He muttered with frustration. It was in the moment of achieving happy news that we cling on to bad memories. It was this way for Sasuke. He had ever single reason to be relieved and even happy, but he felt angry, unsettled.

The night air was considerably cool, the darkness surrounding him and the sounds of silence descending hummed softly in the atmosphere. It calmed him.

He realized it had been silent for almost an entire minute. His ability to zone out people was uncanny, he'd almost forgotten about the female member of team 7 beside him.

The girl had her hands on her face, shaking slightly.

"Sakura." Sasuke breathed softly. This concern for him was irritating, but at the same time—curious. How was it possible that she could care so much about him, when he had done nothing to reciprocate those feelings. Actually he had done as much as he could to destroy any kind affections anyone might harbor towards him.

At the sound of her name issuing from the raven, Sakura raised her head, and there were tears there on her face. Her hands were constantly smudging them away, but a red tint formed under her eyes at the attempt. Emerald eyes shone bright in the contrasting darkness, giving her a cat-like appearance.

"I'm-I-I'm so happy, Sasuke-kun. I'm just so glad." The pink-haired shinobi hiccupped, as she gazed at her crush with watery eyes.

Sasuke nodded once in acknowledgement, and then turned to finish eating.

Sakura wiped her eyes on her sleeve. She stared at her teammate a second later with longing in her eyes, but she soon followed suit, picking up her chopsticks.

Naruto collapsed on his bed. He felt sore all over. The creak of his mattress seemed to echo in the empty apartment. The night making the smallest sounds amplified. Azure eyes took in the spectacle of his room, there was a very healthy mess—no, a messy-mess spread out all over.

He'd clean up tomorrow. This week had been backbreaking missions, back to back, to back.

The blonde shifted to remove his pouch from under him and throw it on the floor, next to his sandals and jacket. 'Oh what the hell.' The tired shinobi flung one leg than the other over his bed, so he could stand. 'I don't want to have to deal with all this tomorrow, it would be nice to wake up somewhere clean.'

Naruto picked up his black pants and vest from the ground, bending down in his blue-green shorts. His legs had gotten longer, and more tanned. The hyper active kid moved with more fluidity than before, though with a rough, heavy lilt. The future hokage wasn't as lithe or petite as his father or Sasuke. He didn't possessed ethereal features that bordered on effeminate. Naruto's face and shoulders were broadening in an undeniably masculine way.

The boy would never notice that he was turning into a striking young man.

He caught his reflection as he set his headband on the table adjacent to his bed. Naruto saw a tired, overworked face and scowled. The mirror saw a peach-colored boy, nearly a man, with a longer face than it had been years earlier, and a maturity that rang in the depths of his darkened blue eyes. His pale hair was hanging limp, filled with all sorts of grime. The Rasengan master needed to shower once in a while when on a mission; so far he hadn't gotten around to it. It didn't fault him though; his hair just looked paler than usual and more wayward. The way it did when it somehow absorbed his sadness.

The bright blonde shine was absent, and the radiant cerulean of his eyes which normally looked like sparkling beach water were dimmed in the nighttime illumination of his room.

Within half an hour, the floor had been cleaned, the dishes stacked and dripping, the bed made, objects righted, and lights switched off.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_A multitude of lights flashed. The sound of rocks cascading down a mountain sounded like the clap of thunder. Gray clouds stood out across the horizon, the area they peered over were large clumps of trees in a mountainous terrain. A boy with hazel-gray hair in short tufts, with a purple hue to his eyes was looking up at something, standing in the thicket of the forest._

_He was a young boy, but the sinister look emanating from his eyes was enough to send a jolt of fear through any person's system._

_A large smirk was spread across his small mouth, his cheeks were slightly rosy, but there was something like a death-like sheen to him that contrasted that natural flush._

_It didn't look human._

_The boy opened his mouth and a laugh escaped. Except it wasn't a laugh, it was a cackle. It was rough and too raspy to belong to the small body of the boy. He looked like a twelve-year old._

_The unhealthy, sinister crowing from his mouth split his lips wider than a human's could extend._

_Suddenly it was raining blood._

_A red hue engulfed the atmosphere. An scream rang somewhere __like music__ in the area. The boy's laughter reached a crescendo as the scream got more agonized. It sounded like a death ushering howl. The kind one would make as they stared up at a grim reaper._

_An explosion of light flashed, engulfing the area in light._

Naruto jolted awake, his mouth formed a scream with no sound coming out. He had sweat dripping from his face. He was shaking violently. The screams from his dream echoing in his ears, the voice was so familiar, so very familiar.

The moonlight was spilling over his blankets. The dream world started to fade with the presence of natural light. Naruto rubbed his arms; his open window sent a breeze sailing past him. The black t-shirt he wore was matted with sweat, and its stickiness on his body made him shiver all the more.

After a minute, Naruto composed his breathing. The unbelievably fright he felt passing with every second. He pushed his blonde hair from his heated forehead, holding his cold hands suspended there.

_Come on, Naruto, get a grip. It was just a dream_. He told himself, his hoarse voice puncturing the quiet of his apartment.

Naruto tossed the blankets to expose his legs, coming to a sitting position on the edge of his bed.

But there was one thing he couldn't shake. It was the identity of the person who had screamed. He hadn't seen anyone but he knew it, he _felt _it.

Naruto stared into the darkness, with the moon shining on his back from his window. The seconds ticked by slowly. The thought wouldn't fade. The name wouldn't fade from his mind.

_Sasuke._

'There's something I want to ask you."

The Uchiha stopped walking. Sakura turned seriously to face him.

They had left the food stall, and Sasuke had even waited while she paid for her share to ask her the direction to her house, before walking with her there. It had been an odd feeling. Sakura didn't feel elated, she felt strange, half awkward, half-nervous, she knew there was a reason, perhaps one she wouldn't like. But the joy of the news of Sasuke's pardon eclipsed her suspicions and she had driven it from her mind. She had walked peacefully with her stoic partner as they neared her house. Now that they were a few steps away, the raven had stopped walking and spoken up.

"Hunh?" At first, he was so far behind her that she couldn't connect the words with his voice, and felt as if she hadn't heard.

A few seconds passed and when she was certain of his words, she walked two steps towards him, then stopped.

"What did you want to ask me?" The Medic Nin couldn't stop a slight anxious frown from forming across her unnaturally hued eyebrows.

Sasuke Uchiha turned his eyes on her with an attentiveness he'd never assumed towards her. Whatever positive feelings she was supposed to have felt from his gaze was marred with the sternness in his gaze.

The kunoichi vaguely flinched. The air felt colder all of a sudden.

"Just two questions, and if you can answer them—to my satisfaction…"Sasuke paused here.

"—I can give you want you've been wanting from me, all these years."

Sakura felt like the entire world had just descended on her shoulders in a few seconds. "W-what?" it was the last thing she had been expecting him to say. The tall attractive female ninja stood rooted to the spot. Her green eyes were lined with tension. She was dressed in her characteristic red shirt with the white circle and navy blue skirt which she wore when she was in-between missions. She shivered, feeling the loss of a jacket.

Her head felt like it was swimming. 'What did Sasuke just say? No, what does he mean?'

If a stranger were to glance down at the scene in the quiet streets of Konoha, and see these two standing there, he would think they were two young lovers having a heated moment.

The tall member of the Uchiha, the last survivor, was the most eligible bachelor in village hidden in the leaves, his former status as a rogue ninja made him very unpopular with the majority of inhabitants, but there were still flocks of women who wouldn't turn him down if he were to proposition them.

In fact, they fantasized about it; it was as they say _in their dreams_.

A slender, pale hand raised itself. The charcoal-haired man with the albino completion raised two fingers. "Two questions." He repeated. He didn't consider how imposing he looked when he had that intense expression framing his features. Sasuke blinked once slowly, almost annoyed and tilted his head at his former teammates' silence. The wind whipped errant strands around his face, his face paler under the moonlight. He assumed a look of patience.

The female Sanin's apprentice couldn't help from trembling, it was slight, starting inside her and fanning out until her legs were shivering. She took a breath and a step forward.

Sakura's eyebrows were furrowed with determination. There was a lightning quickness to her eyes that indicated cleverness behind her large green orbs. The tension of the situation caused her to break from her usual whiny demeanor. Her tone was lucid.

"Okay. Ask me."

**Thanks for reading guys! I'm having fun and I have some...interesting things planned (well…planned is the wrong word!****)**

**There's a certain pairing (side) that will-uh.. be interesting. (and it will not distract from the story too much) I wonder what y'all (the lovely readers) thoughts will be.**

**Review!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Story Thus Far: **The story begins with a much older Sasuke in the Land of Iron with his two twin daughters. Ai and Ao. They have various dramas lining their family dynamic, and their mysteries seem to involve the absence of their mother. The story then jumps to present time, and we see the Konoha residents returning after the war, all seemingly in one piece. Naruto and Sakura are happy to have their friend Sasuke back. The relief of the end of the war results in a bustle of activity among the konoha ninja. Those with clan affiliations spend their days arranging their affairs. Hinata is more confident and works with her cousin Neji. Shikamaru takes charge in his father's absence. Sakura receives a curious summons from someone from the hyuuga clan. Hinata and Sakura share a confidence about something. The ninja recover physically, and seemingly emotionally. Sasuke, retired to his apartment, wallows in the memories of his brother and feels alone, questioning his life. He dreams about the Kage summit and his fight with the Mizukage. He wakes to find his teammates standing supportably over him. Karin takes initiative to be a permanent resident in Konoha and a wary kakashi attends to her. The Uchiha rejects Ino when she confronts him with her feelings. Shikamaru offers words of comfort and gives his two cents on the matter. Naruto notes some tension between kakashi and Sasuke. The Hokage lets Sasuke know that she will be reinstating him, but with some restrictions. She tells him to be on standby that she'll be assigning him to a mission soon. Sakura goes on what she perceives to be a date with Sasuke, but he has something on his mind that he wishes to ask her. Naruto comes home after a mission and has a startling dream, upon waking he feels a dread about Sasuke that he can't explain. After walking with his teammate, Sasuke tells her that he might consider giving his affection if she can answer a question to his satisfaction.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto, and I'm not sure I own any writing skills at this point. Gosh. Darn.

**Chapter 5: Sakura's Answer**

"Why are you interested in me?"

The answer was direct, simple but spoken with hard edge to it.

The sounds of night played like background music around them. The sky was assaulted with stars and gazed down at the pinpricks of people living their lives.

Two figures stood a couple of feet from one another in silence as the blanket of darkness wrapped around them.

Sasuke didn't blink, he stared down his pink-haired teammate with an intensity he'd assumed in training. He didn't have his sharingan activated, but his black orb looked more penetrating than his doujutsu.

Sakura bit her bottom lip. Her fists clenched. She put her head down, light fuchsia bangs draped over her forehead.

It was difficult to put so much into words.

But she'd try.

She'd try even if the effort of it killed her.

After exhaling a meditative breath, Sakura looked up. Her fists were no longer clenched painfully, the veins in her arms drew back and relaxed as the tension was removed from them.

For a moment she had felt like lightning struck her, and she had a cold, icy fear dripping into her soul-the soul within her that suddenly felt like an empty pocket of space she could lose herself in. The pressure of the moment and the look of the boy she had loved for so many years sobered her up.

She had been drunk on the illusion of forever.

She felt at this moment that Sasuke was so far away, that he was leaving and these were final words of his.

The green-eyed medic nin thought she would have the span of forever to let Sasuke understand in increments the magnitude of her affections for him.

Sasuke had all day, apparently. He didn't flinch for a second at the drawn out silence. His shoulders slumped back slightly in a more relaxed posture. He could sense she was taking his words seriously. As serious as he wanted them taken.

Sakura gave a small smile, letting her eyes sweep over her crush before looking away at a distance behind him before she spoke.

"I guess I'm surprised. Sasuke-kun. I-I thought you knew."

A frown crawled slowly up the pale marble of the Raven's forehead.

"I thought you knew, because—I told you so many times. I've always been telling you how I feel."

Sakura shrugged her shoulders in a laugh. Her face was becoming flushed. She told herself she wouldn't cry, that it was pathetic. But already the fringes of her eyelashes were becoming wet with a light spray of tears. She blinked furiously to dispel them.

Night made one so irrational, so emotional. The chirps around them and the clang emanating from afar in the busy streets seemed to heighten the sentiments within her.

"When I asked how you were doing, when I offered to do something for you. Even when someone just said your name! I was, I was confessing! I honestly don't know how you expect me to tell you what you mean to me so easily. I'm so scared that I'll say something and you will misunderstand, and then you'll think to yourself, she doesn't really like me, she doesn't understand anything. I'm so scared of that."

"But I—you're asking! You're asking me and I feel like that must mean something. So I want to tell you, that you already know. You already know, Sasuke-kun. I've been telling you every time I have ever been with you. My eyes have been telling you, my body has been telling you. "Sakura started to shake. She ran her hands over her arms in a shiver. A laugh, hiccup and a tear escaped her.

She swiped at her face like a paintbrush across a canvas.

Sasuke was drinking in her words, his expression didn't portray whether her words were sweet or sour to him.

Sakura, who held her arms around herself, brushed her insecurity of that moment like one shrugging off a coat. She raised her hands in question.

"I guess I'm sad that you even have to ask me! What does it mean that you don't even know when someone is so obviously in love with you, so much that they can't stand next to you without feeling like they're falling! That's me, Sasuke-kun. I feel like I'm coming apart and I'm trying my hardest to hold it in!"

"I know what you're thinking, but everything doesn't have to logical. Everything doesn't have to have the perfect answer. This isn't a technique that you have learn the methods of, Sasuke-kun. If you would just give yourself a chance to feel you would understand."

"If you would do that, then—then. You wouldn't have to ask me anything! Because than you could see for yourself!"

Just like when you unwittingly broke your guitar string trying to assimilate the emotion in your heart with the weeping of the chord, breaking it with the magnitude of the burden on the instrument, and so to Sakura they became to much. The burden. And her tears fell. They fell unheeding of her attempts to not cry. She had snapped the invisible string between her determination and despair, and tears pelted down her cheeks like rain.

The night air rang with her sobs. The Kunoichi's body shook with all the welled up emotion and released it.

Sasuke Uchiha stared at her. The only movement he gave were his eyes, which turned away. For a moment his expression resembled one of exasperation. He closed his eyes briefly and looked away. But after a beat, he opened them and delicate tension between his eyebrows kindled what might have been sympathy.

How did you deal with someone when they've deluded themselves so deeply? Or perhaps it was the idea that someone could be so committed to one spectacular idea, which they believed so fully that whether it was true or not were irrelevant.

Could such raw sincerity stir even the most dispassionate, traumatized heart?

If it did, Sasuke didn't let on. There was some type of understanding looming in his eyes, maybe even a faint apology to let things get this far. But more than anything, there was the greatest confusion in them.

This puzzlement didn't manifest itself in the form of a quizzical brow. It opened him up from the eyes until an empty hole stretched itself wider and wider in his pupils. To the point you could fall in them and lose yourself. He seemed to lose himself from the inside.

The flicker of hope he carried had blown away like a leaf in the wind.

He seem to be a man drowning in his own eyes.

The bewilderment made his features somber and touched out into everything he knew and thought, questions upon questions arising in his mind.

The sniffling stopped distinctly in front of him. The tears seemed to be dried away. After almost ten minute of sobbing, the team 7 member appeared to cease her torrent of tears.

The Uchiha wasn't as cold as to be completely immune to his teammate's agony, but to be anything, especially understanding, at this moment seemed counterproductive to him.

Sasuke pulled what looked like a napkin out of his pocket and held it out. What did it say that he expected almost all of this?

Sakura finally lifted her head, she looked drained. Her fingers shook as she took the proffered handkerchief. She looked so lost, the look of a stranger, even as she was clearly in a familiar surroundings.

Sasuke's voice broke through her muddled thoughts.

"Go to bed now. It's late. Maybe this wasn't the right time."

The Raven turned his back, he took a step forward.

"Sasuke-kun! Wait!" Sakura's desperate plea took her out of herself. She had a frantic, but clearer look in her eyes.

The Pale-skinned Shinobi waited. He would be patient it seemed.

"I-I didn't really answer you. Fine. I-I'll give you an answer. There's something I still haven't said" A deep shaking breath later, emerald eyes shone with a resolve of new gained confidence—or a last ditch attempt.

Sasuke froze mid sigh and turned with slightly widened eyes to face his longtime friend.

"I love you."

The look was bittersweet, she resembled a wounded animal someone had hit with a car, but who found in their last moments a light.

"I want to have a family with you. I don't care how, I don't care why. I don't care even if you feel like you don't love me right now. I can wait for you, forever if I have to. Why am I interested in you? It's not because of your popularity or your looks. I'm not superficial that way. I have hope in you, Sasuke-kun. I want to give you comfort where you've only had pain. I just want to be of some help to you."

The green-eyed girl looked beautiful in that moment. Perhaps this beauty would go ignored by her love, but the world noticed it. It was the beauty that comes from speaking your most raw words and standing tall.

But the symphony of this moment would be cut short.

Sasuke spoke.

"I knew it." He turned around to fully face Sakura.

"I don't need anything from you, from anyone. It is just as you said. If I can't see why you love me, than maybe I'm a person who doesn't understand what the use of that emotion is."

Sasuke gave a sardonic smirk. "I can't give myself to something I don't understand."

Sakura yelled, "You don't have to understand! I'm not asking you to! I know you're-damag—"

"Listen." Sasuke's voice was suddenly very sharp. "You have the wrong idea. I'm not the person you imagine me to be."

He gazed at the stars for a brief moment. "How can I accept someone who doesn't know who I am?"

Sakura stared at the Uchiha, memorizing this moment. His face was just the way she always remembered him. A pang erupted in her chest, but she didn't look away.

_He really needs a haircut._ She thought, a pained smile on her lips. Sasuke's long charcoal strands nearly formed a curtain around him. That looked would make any other man a little effeminate, but Sasuke's face was too hard, too cold. A statute made of marble. For some reason she briefly thought of Madara. This made her stomach lurch. Sasuke was nothing like that terrifying man.

The Raven spoke, his lips drawn into a flat line. "Also…I have to discover first."

"Discover what?" Sakura cried out, her voice much fainter.

"What love is and what it means." He was walking away. "I'll see you tomorrow." He said, his voice sounding tired.

Sakura called after him. "Is that it Sasuke-kun! You can't love me?!"

Sasuke was walking away. His words echoing on the wind.

"I can't love anyone."

The Medic Nin collapsed on the ground on her knees. The weight of Sasuke's presence the only thing that was holding her up. Suddenly she couldn't cry. She wanted to cover her face in her hands and weep until morning came. But she couldn't. Her heart felt colder. She felt like every nerve in her body was more alive than it had ever been.

In the wake of pain, we become agonizingly aware.

"Sasuke-kun!"

She yelled it to the streets.

_That doesn't even make any sense. How can you discover love, when you leave it? Sasuke-kun. _Sakura thought mournfully.

She sat on the hard gravel of the ground, outside her apartment.

A blur of a figure approached Sakura. For a moment, she thought it was Sasuke.

It wasn't.

Naturally pale pupils looked down at her before bending to place a caring hand on Sakura's own.

"Sakura-san? Are you okay?" The soft tremor of Hinata's voice punctured the night air.

The emerald eyed Shinobi realized the implications of the hyuuga heiress's presence.

"Is he worse?" She asked.

Hinata stood up and helped Sakura to her feet. She nodded. "I'm sorry, but he needs you. He woke up a few hours ago, he's complaining of a pain in his side. He started screaming when I left. Please, you have to come!

**Review!**

**I know Sakura is a little pathetic, meh…I tried to clone her personality from the Canon. I know that's hardly the point of fanfiction—still…I have my reasons. **


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's note: **I didn't have time to write a new chapter. I finally finished all my exams, and I got to sleep for like a week. I thought I'd post the bit I wrote for last chapter but didn't include-so here you go. I know...I know...

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I own a life though, and some would consider that just as precious.**

**Chapter 6: Reflection**

They entered the Hyuuga mansion, Sakura throwing off her shoes as she climbed onto the wooden floorboards. She heard an agonized moan coming from a figure lying in a futon, as they entered what was Ko's room.

Hinata stood by as the Medic Nin examined her bodyguard. She looked anxious for him.

"God, his fever's the problem right now. Did you give him anything?" Sakura questioned as she examined the man panting severely.

The Hyuuga girl nodded. "I gave him something right before I went to get you."

"Well, we'll just have to do this the old-fashioned way then. Can you find a bucket and fill it with water and ice. And where do you keep the towels?"

"There should be a couple in there." Hinata pointed to the wooden cabinet at the end of the room before she left to fetch the items.

Sakura tied her hair back, which were just long enough to manage to twist into a bun. She bent down and opened the small wooden knob to find a stack of folded towels.

She knelt back down in front of her patient. "Can you talk?" She asked him when his eyes flickered opened warily. She checked his vitals.

"I'm fine." The man in obvious distress moaned out. "Hinata-sama?"

"She'll be here in a minute." Sakura frowned. She pulled up the man's shirt. There was nasty bruise appearing on his skin. It had gotten redder then when she last examined him.

Ko's face was flushed. His teeth started to chatter.

Hinata arrived with the bucket.

Sakura immediately dipped the towels, wrung them and placed it on the forehead of her patient. He convulsed at the cold for a moment.

"Hinata could you—" The clear-eyed Shinobi was on her knees before Sakura could utter another word.

"Yeah, just hold that to his forehead, when it gets warm, dip it back into the cold water. I need to look at the wound on his chest."

After a couple of minutes. The mansion became quieter, the silent hum of night the only sound. Ko had been lulled back to sleep. The Medic Nin had cleaned his wound, applied various balms but left it unwrapped.

She turned to the girl who had acted as her assistant. "I was wrong before. I assumed because of how bad the wound looked, it was purely external. I think now that he was bitten or infected by something. That's why his symptoms are so varied, and why his fever keeps fluctuating. Was there anyone else with him when he had the accident? I will need someone to describe the area he was, so I can start narrowing down what poisonous insects or plants he might have come into contact with."

Hinata looked thoughtful. "I'll ask Neji nii-san. He brought him in. He's on a mission. He'll be back tomorrow morning."

"Well, the sooner we can find out, the better. I'll have to go by the symptoms for now. I also need to go back to my apartment. I have a manual that could be helpful. It has a wide catalog of plants and insects in the land of fire."

Sakura sighed. "His wrist is broken as well. I'll heal that in a moment. Initially it confused me when you said he was crying out from the pain in his side. Turns out he was just turning onto his injured arm. I'll need to examine the rest of him for any broken bones."

Hinata listened patiently. "Is there anything I can do?"

"Not at the moment. I think you being here will help him."

Sakura pulled the blanket off the sleeping man's toes. She started to gently prod them with her fingers. "I'm worried about leaving him tonight though, since I'm not confident in my diagnosis. It could be a host of other things."

"We don't mind you staying here, Sakura-san. Father said the guest bedroom is yours if you want. It's right next to Ko."

Sakura paused to think about it. "I guess that's reasonable. But I don't want to be a bother."

"You wouldn't be." Hinata assured. Her expression wavered for a moment as another thought occurred to her. "Are you feeling better?"

Sakura blinked for a moment. She had forgotten about the dull pain in her chest. Those words brought them all back. She had been so anxious about messing up and the man dying because she had overlooked something. Sasuke and what had happened hours ago seemed so distant.

She wished she hadn't been reminded. She focused on her ministrations. There were no signs of broken bones in his lower body. She concentrated on the bones of the upper body, aware that Hinata's concerned gaze was directed at her.

"Just—let me focus for a moment."

"No problem. Thank you, Sakura-san."

They lapsed into silence.

When the sun's rays touched down on the Hyuuga mansion. Ko opened his eyes, his complexion was better, the deathly pallor vanishing. He slowly sat up. A pang in his side, but without the raging headache and fever he felt nothing but relief.

He looked around bewildered when he saw two female forms sprawled on either side of the room.

To his left, Sakura had fallen asleep, her head in her lap with her knees drawn up. Hinata was on the right, leaning against the sliding doors.

He blinked for a moment before his instinct took hold of him; he rushed—as much as he could—to Hinata-sama's side. When he felt her breathing steadily, he dragged himself back onto the futon and glanced warily at the light pink haired girl. He was annoyed at himself for being sick enough to need a medic.

Sakura stirred from her curled up position on the floor. She was angled uncomfortably.

The ash-black spikey hair of the Hyuuga bodyguard turned in her direction when she sat up groggily. When she saw him in a sitting position looking up at her, her senses jolted awake.

"How are you feeling?" She asked tentatively.

"Better than last night, I suspect." The man gave a sardonic half smile. He was glancing at Hinata with a guilty expression, feeling like a burden to his charge. It didn't matter how capable the Hyuuga girl had become, it was his duty to always suppose she needed his help even if she didn't. Working in the Hyuuga household, it was ingrained in him to pull his weight and be self-punishing if he felt short. Failure wasn't something that was tolerated.

Ko more than deserved a break given that he was injured, but old habits die hard and he couldn't help but feel inadequate.

Sakura looked around the room, noting Hinata on the floor and sighed. "We're all just out of it, aren't we? I'm so sorry for falling asleep. That was careless of me." She stretched like a Persian cat getting to her feet.

"You're looking well." Her brows relaxed in relief. "I can't stand around here doing nothing, I'm gonna head to the bathroom—if I can find one—and wash up and go to my apartment to get a few things. I'll be back this afternoon."

Ko looked like he'd protest, but Sakura interrupted him. "I know what you're thinking. I know what you're going to say and just think of it this way; the sooner you get the treatment you need, the faster you can tend to your mistress. Doesn't that sound good?"

The Green-Eyed Shinobi didn't wait for his response as Ko's face settled into one of acknowledgement. She headed for the door. She paused, deciding if she should wake the slumbering girl.

"Leave her. She's been sleep-deprived these last few days." Ko's voice drifted over Sakura, as her hand reached out.

She smiled at him and opened the sliding doors, then closed them gently behind her.

As soon as the soft bump of wood came together, Sakura's face fell, without the distracting presence of other people her mind was able to wonder, and not to any positive recollections either.

Her bare feet thumped across the wooden floorboard, walking without direction.

She came to another pair of sliding doors, but they opened onto an exit, instead of the bathroom she'd been searching for.

A rectangular expanse stretched before her, three walls surrounding what looked like a yard. She sat down on the wooden steps that curved around the house. It was so beautiful. There was a tall tree in the center and the area was empty, but not bland. Soft tuffs of grass waved in the breeze as she looked down at them.

It has this rich ancestral beauty to it. Sakura would probably not admit it, but this was something she dreamed of. To belong to something that hinted of more than oneself. A historical family with a yard like this, a place where within the walls people lived lives like paper chains, extensions of one another.

For the first time in a while, Sakura could think lucidly. There was a fresh breeze wafting through the air that hit her eyes making them water with sentimentality. It was so romantic. She felt the urge to kick off her sandals and run around barefoot.

She could suddenly identify a dream in her that she hadn't been able to put into words. It was a realization to her, but not a surprise.

A large community of family always appealed to her. As an only child, she always wanted to be a larger part of a whole.

It had just been her mom and dad and her. There was nothing more to her family. They were simple people. They only had their small unit to look after. They didn't necessarily mean anything to the world they lived in. They didn't effect it. They were not the bearers of history and tradition.

This is what she always wanted to be a part of.

The seat of an only child might not have been without its burden. She was sure Naruto dreamed of belonging to more than himself.

It was why team 7 meant so much to them.

Perhaps that's why they looked frequently and obsessively for affection from others, especially from one dark haired, hard-to-get-close-to Uchiha.

Sakura slumped her head. Her hands clenched next to her.

It was just so painful.

She focused blurry eyes to look up at the grounds.

It could have been a training ground, but all she saw was what she imagined.

Laughter and a large family. The hierarchy of organization and order that those affiliated with clans worked within. Not being the complete naïve child she had once been, she knew it wasn't all positive.

She didn't care. She longed for it all the same.

Now that it might no longer be possible, it was hard to believe. She saw her subtle fantasies disappearing before her eyes.

When you know that something you desire, so greatly, is right in front of you and you can't have it, after you have resolved its compatibility with you, it becomes entirely too difficult to accept and the loss of it makes you feel as if you're moving through a dream.

Sakura had matched her feelings and threaded her goals with being in Sasuke's life. How could she unknot those strings and pull away?

It didn't seem possible. And it hurt. So very much.

Sakura laughed out loud. She was sitting in the backyard of someone else's home, crying and wishing she could be a part of it.

What a new level of pathetic.

Hinata yawned softly, straightening out locks of her hair that stuck up as she emerged from the bathroom of the Hyuuga mansion.

Her delicate lips formed into a thoughtful expression, the pale luminance of her face highlighted in the early morning light. She almost looked like a ghost, her milky cheeks and dark ink-tipped hair made her striking. On anyone else that kind of beauty would have stood out, but there was the way her soul walked within her, calm as an ocean, soft as a seashell that didn't allow a show of flamboyance. Patience and perseverance were solid stones in her eyes. Still, a prevalent fragility leaked out of her that overshadowed the strength her small hands had acquired.

But it stood in this Shinobi world that the most deadly were often those who could dance like water in ribbons, slipping through the rocks. Those who vanished in a crowd at first glance. That was the type that Hyuuga Hinata embodied.

This was a quality that was reminiscent in the Kazekage of the Sunagakure and he was by no means likely to fall over like a piece of glass and shatter when pushed.

Similarly, neither would she, not anymore.

Hinata pulled her purple turtleneck down at the hem when she felt a draft in the hall, rubbing her hands across her arms to introduce warmth to her body.

She froze when she noticed a person standing at the end of the hall. She was speechless for a moment in her excitement, he was the very person she had hoped to run across. Things couldn't have worked out better!

She was about to call out to him, or sprint towards him, but something held her back.

Her cousin was standing motionless, with a strong deal of concentration between his eyes. His brunette hair was falling over the small mountains of his shoulders which were unusually tense.

Neji's pale hand rested on the wooden panel of a screen door which opened onto the Hyuuga training grounds. The one with the sapling tree that Hinata had spent a great deal of time training before she become chunin.

"Neji ni-san?" She spoke into the air, before she could help it. He had the look he'd often given her when she demonstrated a new technique to him. He would watch her body with great attention so he could report back to her the inconsistencies with her posture that needed fixing which were interfering with the successful utilization of the Jutsu.

The stir of her chakra within her when Hinata tried to adjust it so she couldn't be detected, caught on Neji's radar.

He blinked his eyes once, as if snapping himself out of a dream. Then moved away from whatever he was observing, like a parent who comes upon a sleeping child and slowly extracts themselves from the environment so they don't disturb the child.

Neji walked in Hinata's direction, his eyes were to the floor, thoughtful.

His face remained passive as it turned toward her.

"I wanted to talk to you about something. If you're not busy." Hinata began.

He settled in front of her, a slight creak of wood signaled his presence. Hinata had her hands laced in front of her waiting for a reply.

Neji passed his pale-eyed kin as he spoke "Of course, let's go somewhere we can talk."

She followed him further from the hall, wondering who was training back there.


	7. Chapter 7

**Story Thus Far: **The story begins with a much older Sasuke in the Land of Iron with his two twin daughters. Ai and Ao. They have various dramas lining their family dynamic, and their mysteries seem to involve the absence of their mother. The story then jumps to present time, and we see the Konoha residents returning after the war, all seemingly in one piece. Naruto and Sakura are happy to have their friend Sasuke back. The relief of the end of the war results in a bustle of activity among the konoha ninja. Those with clan affiliations spend their days arranging their affairs. Hinata is more confident and works with her cousin Neji. Shikamaru takes charge in his father's absence. Sakura receives a curious summons from someone from the hyuuga clan. Hinata and Sakura share a confidence about something. The ninja recover physically and seemingly emotionally. Sasuke, retired to his apartment, wallows in the memories of his brother and feels alone, questioning his life. He dreams about the Kage summit and his fight with the Mizukage. He wakes to find his teammates standing supportably over him. Karin takes initiative to be a permanent resident in Konoha and a wary kakashi attends to her. The Uchiha rejects Ino when she confronts him with her feelings. Shikamaru offers words of comfort and gives his two cents on the matter. Naruto notes some tension between kakashi and Sasuke. The Hokage lets Sasuke know that she will be reinstating him, but with some restrictions. She tells him to be on standby that she'll be assigning him to a mission soon. Sakura goes on what she perceives to be a date with Sasuke, but he has something on his mind that he wishes to ask her. Naruto comes home after a mission and has a startling dream, upon waking he feels dread about Sasuke that he can't explain. After walking with his teammate, Sasuke tells her that he might consider giving his affection to him if she can answer a question to his satisfaction.

_Sakura gives her answer, telling him she loves him, will do anything for him and wants to make him a family. Sasuke leaves telling her he doesn't know love and perhaps he's incapable of it._

_Hinata arrives as Sakura is sitting outside her apartment at midnight crying. Hinata tells her that Sakura's patient is worse. They rush to the Hyuuga mansion, where Sakura tends to Hinata's bodyguard, Ko. She spends the night at the manor in her diligence, and when she wakes she finds herself lost in the residence. She wonders to a training yard, and has a moment of perspective as she contemplates how much large families interest her. She expresses jealously and want of clans. She acknowledges that her emptiness and desperation concerning the Uchiha's acceptance of her might stem from that. Hinata wakes up herself and sets off to find her cousin, Neji. She finds him as she wonders the halls—she thinks he's observing a person training as he peers at something intently. But it's Sakura he watches with some type of interest…._

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, dattabayo!**

**Chapter 7: Games, Changes and fears**

_Moonlight erupted from the sky and doused the darkness with splashes of light. A tiny body lay hung over a swing, blood dripping to the ground in small drops. An audible groan from the slight figure indicated life, despite the roughed-up and weakened appearance. A hand twitched, the delicate child's hand stretched out as if to pull itself from this predicament, but energy running far too low and trauma high, made the possibility unlikely._

_Green eyes lifted themselves with all the strength contained within them, the face a puff of injury. There were so many cuts and bruises that it wasn't clear where the blood was oozing from, but a steady flow dripped down the head and face to a puddle forming on the ground. The small child's face, a girl, tried to lift herself up again._

_A thump and sharp moan sounded. The figure had managed to push forward off the wooden plank and string, and onto the ground._

_The lump on the ground with a gash in the back, seem to have a desire to live. The girl crawled, hands and knees taking turns grappling with the hard ground._

_A building stretched out before the form, but it didn't resemble a hospitable place to advance towards._

_It was a gray, cold building. A school that looked every bit like a jailhouse._

_The girl turned away from it and made her way to the clump of trees in the other direction._

_She ignored the heaps of small forms scattered around her. A sob escaped from her throat before she put a hand to her own mouth to suppress it. Her eyes bulged as she cried as silently as she could, for a few minutes._

_When the girl with red-brunette hair reached a form on the ground in dark purple, another girl her age with long black hair. Her face scrunched up painfully and there was a great effort on her part not to scream as she dragged herself past without making contact._

_A name escaped her lips. It carried the sound of familiarity and closeness. A friend, a childhood friend, a comrade._

_After 30 minutes or more, the figure had approached the spot she had eyed, the bramble of leaves that opened onto a great forest._

_She curled herself into a ball, gave herself a push, falling down a lower hill into a dark clump of trees and into the night._

_The sounds of branches snapping as her body mowed the ground underneath, filled the night._

_When morning came, a man taking his ninja dog for a run came across what he assumed was a rag doll._

_A girl with torn clothes, blood-stained face and a mop of red-brown hair._

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Mei Terumi sat up, a bead of perspiration on her forehead. She got out of bed, closing her blue silk nightgown over her naked form. The womanly curves of her shoulders, and cut of her legs disappearing beneath the folds of fabric. Her head turned in the direction of the window with the moonlight spilling inside, giving her a glow. Her warm complexion appeared paler in the aftermath of a nightmare. It had been years since she recalled the terrible memory of the horrid graduation exam.

'_How can I hope to change the minds of the people here? If I can't even forget the terrible past of this place." _Mei thought as she sat in her kitchen. A tall glass of water in her hands. She watched the pulse of the liquid in the cup as her trembling hands shook it.

The silence stretched out and bounced off the walls of her apartment.

A smile replaced the look of anxiety on her face. Her cheerful nature was obstinate, and a smile—even when she didn't feel it—had the effect of fooling her body and mind to thinking it was real. She was a firm believer of it.

Her usually adorned lips were a nude puff of natural pink. After a couple of minutes. Her eyebrows rose and fell, a shrug at the effort. She got up, her tall form creating a slinking shadow across the kitchen table as she passed it.

Mei divested herself of the robe, and fell into the embraces of her mattress. Her eyes closed as she took a couple of breaths, soon the smile on her lips was calmer and assured.

Her mind's eye held the image of stars, a dark night scattered with stars. Her younger, terrified self had gazed at this sight and found the strength and will to drag herself forward that night all those years ago.

Now, she amassed the vision of the vast universe and twinkling stars to lose herself in their depths and find comfort. In the midst of so great a presence, her small worries and fears leaked out of her.

The beauty of the world shining before her, making her small in comparison. A relaxed drop of her shoulders indicated even breath.

She drifted off to sleep.

Sasuke let cold water slid off his back, his hair waving like ebony silk beneath the near icy currents.

It wasn't necessary to have the knob turned to the cold dial, but his body withstood it, accustomed to bathing in rivers and waterfalls during the years he was away.

He didn't have a preference for it, but adjusting the temperature now was too much of a change for him, for both his body and his mind.

Cold currents were relaxing to him, especially when he was seething with anger or frustration. It was almost punishing and he made himself stand it.

He recalled a memory of a younger him, when he threw himself into the cold river because he had been consumed with the memories of Itachi's parting words, and images from the Tsukuyomi that wouldn't abate no matter how much he willed them away.

When it got really bad for him, he would take to jumping in the river until the cold seared his bones to the point where he couldn't think about anything anymore. A good swimmer, he never worried that he'd drown, not that he'd ever let himself die.

Submerging himself in chilly depths wasn't a habit that was conducive to good health, but as time passed, just sitting at the docks brought him some relief.

It was the only place he could find some calm.

The Uchiha's hands traced the old knob, and his mind's eye flickered with the image of a certain pink-haired girl.

He made a growl of frustration.

Her face was stained with tears and she cried like the world had stopped for her.

"Dammit.." His voice was violently raspy.

What on earth was wrong with these people? He had enough on his mind. He could hardly get himself together. He felt misplaced and useless. The Hokage had said she'd call him, but he hadn't heard a single word from her.

Is this the village that his brother had cherished so much?

It didn't feel like home to him. But by the same token, he didn't feel he could exist anywhere else.

The efforts of his male teammate saw to that, whether he wanted to or not.

Naruto.

That fool was the only reason he was here—No that wasn't entirely true. But if it wasn't for the bond he had with the hyper-active knucklehead, and the grudging respect he felt for his comrade, he might have fell on his sword. Without his purpose of revenge, he might have been self-sacrificing.

It still felt unfair at times that he was the remaining Uchiha.

Why him? When he couldn't even carry on the name as they all expected of him.

"I'm a cold bastard." The words echoed in his bathroom. His voice sounded foreign to him, it was lined with such self-pity and disgust.

His pale arms threw back the shower curtains, and he stepped on the tiles, the muscles on his calves twitching as they flexed at the titillating warmth in the air.

He grabbed a towel, tied it around his waist, and sat down on the closed toilet seat, leaning his head back, water droplets streaking down his chin tapping out a rhythm on the linoleum floor.

Love?

What the fuck was that?

The cycle of life. The beginning and ending. Things that bound people together, that made them die for one another.

Sasuke recalled his mother's blue-black strands and her smile. Her dark eyes holding his father's gaze, obvious affection directed at the colder more composed man.

How did they do it?

To Sasuke affection in a Shinobi was an oxymoron.

What did they train their minds to make logical decisions when it could be destroyed by whims they made for the sake of love.

When he tried to call upon warm feelings he could see it as an idea.

Even as a feeling, but it was too quickly blocked.

When he found out that Itachi was the big brother he had adored and worshiped as a child, his heart leapt unexpectedly. He could suddenly remember things he hadn't realized he'd possessed memories of.

The tears sliding down his brother's cheeks as he made the hardest decision of his life.

The glare and warmth of the setting sun as he sat by Itachi on the wooden steps of their manor.

The way he blushed easily as child, with embarrassment or affection.

The image of his pale chubby-cheeked self, a flush on his cheeks, his charcoal eyes wide, accepting and drinking in whatever Itachi said and did. His young self emulating as best as he could the gestures of his beloved brother, always trying to grab their father's attention the way the elder Uchiha had.

He clearly had a rush of feeling when he recalled the memories he shared with his family, and he could feel them when he closed his eyes, recalling a particular moment. Even unbidden they came sometimes upon him.

The feeling was so strange, he had distanced himself—or rather starved of it as he was—he couldn't help but feel that it was alien to him. He never experienced anything like it in his critical years, and so it was hard to think that those gush of emotions was normal for him, in his station in life.

A Shinobi equaled one who strove to lessen his feelings.

Since Sasuke graduated from childhood at the age of 7, he had learned to discard things he didn't need.

And since his memory of affectionate touches in the form of pokes to the forehead, were followed by the sinking dread of tragedy, he blocked and withheld himself from feeling that way again.

Psychologically, he would associate love and family with the apprehension of loss and emptiness.

Sasuke sat still, the waves of warm air from the atmosphere drying his naked skin.

When his leg felt as if it were becoming numb, he roused himself and found to his surprise that he'd almost fallen asleep, and that he'd been sitting there for an entire hour.

Naruto raced across Konoha. He wore his mesh shirt and had his orange and black jacket tied around his waist.

There were a couple of girls across the street that squealed loudly as he ran past them.

Naruto looked in their direction, his eyebrow cocked curiously before gaining more speed.

He didn't care how hot it was, or that his blonde locks stuck to the sides of his face. He challenged the sun to beat on him harder as he slashed the atmosphere with his speed.

Naruto cursed under his breath with such frequency it sounded like chanting.

The blue-eyed ninja swerved as he rounded Sasuke's apartment.

He considered knocking, but that impulse fled and he climbed into the window and jumped down, nearly missing knocking down a tall stack of books in his path.

"Whoa." The blonde was floored for a couple of seconds at the unbelievable neatness he was met with. It was almost hospital clean—Naruto had spent a number of days in and out of that establishment to make an accurate comparison.

He quickly shook it off, remembering why he'd come.

"Where is the teme?!" He growled. He rushed forward, advancing toward the hall, when a pale figure passed by.

The very naked Uchiha came into his rage of vision.

Ivory mounds of flesh too perfectly shaped to be on any human beings form met the future Hokage's line of sight.

"Man-What the hell?! Geez—ugh! Put some clothes on!"

"Don't you know how to knock, Usuratonkachi?" Sasuke was walking across the hall, a recently removed towel in his hands.

"Well, I didn't think you'd be walking around naked!" Naruto scowled.

"It is my house." The Uchiha responded without missing a beat.

"Listen man—whatever, that's not even important—I have something to tell you!"

Naruto, being the one-track ninja that he often was, forgot about anything but what he had to say. He looked excited and opened his mouth with a deep breath, ready to go into some type of tirade.

Sasuke held up his hand, closing the towel around his waist once more. "If I have to wait for you to finish talking before I get dressed. I run the risk of the entire village barging in before you're done... let me grab my clothes and I'll be out in second."

Without waiting for a reply, Sasuke entered a bedroom and slammed the door.

Naruto was put out and threw himself on the living room couch.

He thought of Sakura suddenly, he could imagine her reaction if Sasuke were missing his clothes in her presence. Hell, he could imagine the reaction the population of girls in the village would have in that situation. This made the blonde ninja near petulant.

"Lucky Bastard, he could hospitalize half the town without trying." Naruto was in his childish mode, as he finished off his sentence with a low rumble. He made faces at his teammate mocking him for his own enjoyment. A minute passed, Naruto's face resumed a semblance of seriousness.

He couldn't hold back the small smile that tickled his features.

His teammates.

It felt good to have them both in the village.

He realized that he couldn't think of one without thinking of the other.

Sasuke was in the other room. Sakura was happy. His village was safe. The Hokage was her old self. His comrades were in relative peace, living out their lives. Sure some were still grieving, but overall- It was all good!

His eyes wrinkled into an affectionate expression as he felt deeply grateful as he lay on the couch of his closest friend, silence enveloping him.

Sasuke buttoned on a white shirt. It didn't have sleeves and broadcasted his pale muscled arms. He wore black pants which had ribbons of white around the upper thigh and where he normally would have placed a shuriken hustler—he left it bare. He wasn't supposed to announce his reinstatement to everyone in the village yet. The woman Hokage had implied that.

Though if he wanted, he'd do it anyway.

He just choose not to.

Sasuke glanced with a sigh at his door, his guest on his mind.

What the hell did Naruto want? He'd felt the Dobe's chakra as he emerged from the bathroom. He'd been right that it was him.

The feeling of Naruto's chakra made him uneasy, challenging his morose mood with its chaotic brightness.

But when Sasuke had been at his lowest, in the deepest depths of darkness, it had been the hand that reached out to him, and eventually pulled him out.

He pulled the knob of his bedroom and preceded to the main hall. When he reached the living area, he found his friend laying on the couch, a goofy smile on his face.

The Uchiha took the hands he'd placed in his pocket out, considered slapping the moron, but held himself back.

There was such a look of peace in his face. It made him jealous.

What has he got to make him so damn happy? Everything was up in the air, the village was a mess, alliances weren't even certain. Nothing was in order in the shinobi's affairs, the lady Hokage had made that clear. Naruto hadn't done much of anything since he'd come back, not that he'd heard about. Yet, here was his friend, smiling like he'd just solved the problem of world strife.

What on earth could be making him so damn happy? It had better be something worth it, to look so completely oblivious.

Knowing Naruto, it was probably something incredibly simple, not worth speculation.

As Sasuke's brow furrowed with unwanted curiosity, lids slid back and blue azure eyes peered up at him and blinked, once they attained focus.

"Eh? Sasuke?" Naruto flung himself up. "What took ya so long. Didn't take you for such a Prima donna." The blonde briefly enjoyed the look that flit across his rival's face.

"What do you want? Naruto."

"Oh! That's right. I just came from Baa-chan's office, and I have news for you!" Naruto looked like he was about to give a starving child his meal.

It was repulsing and almost touching.

"You can be a ninja of the leaf again! I mean you can go on missions and everything! You've been re-re- reinstated, Yeah that was the word! I wanted to tell you right away. I know you've probably been worried about that, maybe even a little depressed."

Sasuke sat on his coffee table. He had gazed off into the distance when his friend started talking. His eyes narrowed a bit at the words that came from Naruto's mouth, but he didn't turn to face him.

A beat of silence floored the blonde.

"Sasuke! Didn't ya hear me!" Naruto's voice was urgent and excited.

When he was once again met without comment, Naruto looked concerned at his friend. His expression was a bit deflated. "What's the matter?"

Sasuke finally spoke, meeting his friend's gaze. "I heard. I also already know. She told me herself."

"Huhn?" The blonde shut his eyes stupidly.

When the words processed and the full meaning sunk in, the explosion of his volume could be heard down the street.

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME? YOU MEAN YA ALREADY KNOW. WHAT THE HELL SASUKE! WHY DIDN'T YA TELL ME!"

Sasuke replied extremely cool. "But you already know." He smirked. "What's the use of telling you?"

"Not now! Teme!" Naruto ruffled his hair in frustration. "When did you find out?"

A lightbulb went on in his head. Something more important invaded his mind, sending all other thoughts out of the Hokage candidate's head.

"Sakura-chan!"

The name startled Sasuke out of his nonchalance.

Naruto was about to go running out of the house as fast as he'd come in.

A few words from the Uchiha stopped him in his tracks.

"She already knows."

"What? She—" Naruto looked bewildered for a moment at his friend. "How'd she know?"

Sasuke's silence seemed to confirm a fact.

"You already told her?" Naruto came back from the end of the room. He sat on the arm of the couch facing the Raven-haired boy.

A slow smile formed on his features. "That's great Sasuke." Naruto breathed earnestly. "I'm happy you told her, even before you told me. Man! That's great!" He chuckled softly.

Sasuke stood up, walked to his door, and yanked it open. "Out." He told his teammate.

Naruto, not given enough credit for being perceptive, noted the shift in mood.

"What are you talking about?! We have to celebrate! Don't have such a stick up your ass. I'll round up the gang and we'll have party tonight! If there was a reason to have a good time, now is it!"

"Get out." The order was calm.

Naruto looked for a moment in disbelief at his friend. His eyes softened after awhile. "I know how you feel Sasuke, you don't know or care about a lot of the people in this village. You probably feel like they don't care about you. I know you don't like crowds. But at least team 7 needs to celebrate! Kakashi-sensei—"

At the mention of his former Sensei's name, Sasuke grabbed Naruto by the shoulders and pushed him out the door.

The blonde let his friend direct his anger at him without resisting, when he was firmly outside, he gave an almost pleading look. "Sasuke, don't shut yourself up in solitude. I know—"

The door slammed in his face.

Naruto punched the frame. "Dammit. Sasuke!" He rested his head against it, frustrated.

Kakashi emerged from the Hokage's office. He was walking with Shizune when a red blur approached him. "God, help me." He whispered to the Fifth's assistant, who looked at him quizzically.

Karin marched into his view.

Kakashi switched on a cooperative, affable smile. "Hello! Anything I can assist you with?"

"I don't know where anything is in this Goddamn town. I've been looking for Sasuke's place all morning!"

"Well—too bad. I don't know where Sasuke lives. Awfully sorry." The Jonin made a move to leave.

"You're his Sensei, aren't you?"

"Oh. That. Right, yes, but he was always a secretive boy—you know how Sasuke is." Kakashi chuckled as if he shared a private joke with Karin.

She didn't look amused.

"Take me to him."

Before Kakashi could answer, something caught his eye.

"Looks like I don't have to." Kakashi indicated with a finger.

Karin blinked, before she turned around and came face to face with Sasuke Uchiha.

Naruto sat down at Ichiraku's, slumping his shoulders.

He ordered two bowls of ramen, gulped both of them down without barely tasted it.

"Naruto." A cool, apathetic voice sounded behind him.

It was Sai.

Naruto shook his head, and pointed a chopstick threateningly at the replacement member of team 7 "Don't you say a word, I mean it! The last thing I need is your smart-ass comments. I can't deal with that right now."

Sai's forehead twitched and he stretched a smile across his face, a bead of sweat sliding down the side of his face. _How do you make a friend feel better, if he tells you not to talk? Naruto looks upset. Maybe he had a fight with Sakura—or Hinata—or Sasuke?_

Sai's mind buzzed with explanations to the blonde's mood. He sat cautiously to his right.

_Should I rest my hand on his shoulder? I read that a reassuring touch can be more comforting than words. Perhaps this would be the situation they meant?_

Naruto looked darkly in his direction. "Dude! Shut up!"

Sai looked startled, "I didn't say anything" He clamped a hand over his mouth when he realized he had spoke.

"I can hear your weird thoughts without you saying a word! Let me just tell ya, touch me, and ya gonna die!"

Sai spoke up to the person behind the blonde. "Oh. Kakashi."

"Hello Sai. Naruto." The Jonin sat down, adjacent Naruto.

Naruto whipped his head around, "What are you doing here. You're not busy? I thought you were with Grandma-Tsunade-whoa! Geez! What happened to your eye Kakashi-sensei!"

Sai stared at the silver-haired man. He had obviously been in a fight of some sort. Yet, he looked calm. A lover's spat? Sai read about these.

Kakashi waved Naruto's concern away. "This—oh, it's nothing. Training accident. One of my lovable cats had a bit of a temper this morning."

Naruto squinted at a purple-bruise that his sensei sported. Did cats give black eyes?

"Wait—I didn't know you had a cat?!"

Kakashi smirked. "Oh, yes. So how was your day? Naruto? Sai?"

Naruto faced his third bowl of ramen, took a sloppy bite, and mumbled. "Wonderful."

Sai, blinking from his observations, answered warily. "Good."

Then he put on his best fake smile and inquired. "And yourself? Kakashi"

Kakashi's order arrived. He pulled apart his chopsticks as he responded.

"Oh. Good, Good. Couldn't be better."

The three of them sighed.

**Thanks to you guys who take the time to review! I enjoy reading your thoughts!**

**ShadowWhoWalks – **I loved your comment. So true! If Sakura was as pathetic in my fanfic as she appeared in the canon—then I'm happy to hear that! I would rather take the approach to analyze and explain why a character behaves so pathetically, rather than do away completely with that characteristic. I feel like a good fanfic follows the canon and then diverges from it to show how the character can change and become bad-ass even if they were hopeless in the canon.

**Danish78—**You always take a moment to review-*A big hug for you*

**ToBeHonest – **The recap thing is a good idea! I incorporated that. Even I was starting to forget what happened in the very beginning! Thanks!

**And to all other reviewers who chirped up even a little! A big thanks to y'all! I hope you will continue reading!**

**Stay tuned!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N**= So this chapter is much longer than most. Sorry for the delay. It's UnBeta'd. I wrote this all last night, so I apologize if there are some errors I haven't caught.

**Disclaimer= I don't own Naruto, its characters, etc. Stop making me feel bad about it already. **

**Chapter 8: The Way the Wind Blows**

It was a refreshing feeling to have the rain pelt on your face as you stared into the sky, questioning its somber mood with your charcoal-piece orbs. These were the thoughts and feelings of one Sasuke Uchiha as he stood, his stark ivory chin tilted towards the heavens. A feeling of calmness soaked into him, much like the weather did to his clothes. He gave a tug to his light gray shirt which cling to his abdomen, a sopping wet sound slapping the air as his hands came away with it. The chill of the cold was starting to seep into his body, and he tried to warm himself by pulling away the damp shirt he wore. It was a momentary relief, before it cling to him more desperately than before.

A look of irony registered his features, before a crackle in the sky silenced his thoughts.

A rumble ripped through the earth and landed on his ears—a pleasant sound—a kiss from mother nature.

He enjoyed it.

He had few pleasures, and few things that could stretch him into complacency like this—rain was one of those few things.

There was another man, tall, dark and long-departed who enjoyed it even more so than Sasuke.

Itachi could stand for hours in a bad storm.

The Uchiha would like to give credit to a gentle side he might have possessed, imagining that sentimentality was what drew him to standing like a martyr as abysmal weather assaulted him, but that wasn't the case.

It wasn't to be close to someone who no longer inhabited the same world as he, which caused him to seek refudge in rain. It was to capture the feeling of solitude and togetherness all at once.

He felt part of a large whole, which filled him up satisfyingly, all the while standing alone with the drum of quiet beating into his ears.

It was for the reason that people often sat at gravestones for hours, remembering everything and nothing, feeling loss and closure at the same time.

Hereditary or habit—it didn't really matter.

The Uchiha's' eyes were unpretending, they relaxed and blinked out a signal of tiredness—Morse code to the sky—and fed off the fumes of rage that rolled off the atmosphere, absorbing the residual tranquility that lingered behind for him to catch.

The clouds parted and the torrid rain shower seemed to back up and rewind itself from the atmosphere. The dark clouds heaved and rolled, groaning like an old man.

The pale-limbed boy walked one. One foot in front of the other. His shoes made a _shuck _as he lifted them across the gravel.

The reason he was caught in the rain at midnight was a simple one. He'd returned with Kakashi sensei on a unofficial mission.

After reporting to Tsunade, Sasuke ended up taking a longer path to get home. Exploring Konoha after hours was a welcome experience, he didn't have to bump into any figures—welcome or unwelcome.

And just now, given what he'd discovered. He wanted to be on his own, at least until he could sort out his feelings on the matter.

As he passed the lamppost on the school grounds, illuminating his path he detected a flicker of chakra scurrying in his range.

Hn. They were following him.

Sasuke didn't care whoever it was that decided he might be a threat skulking around in the wee hours, despite how docile he appeared, sopping wet and unarmed as he was.

The bare hands of an Uchiha were weapons to contend with though. That and his bloodline limit made shuriken and other weaponry unnecessary.

He circled around one more time, the breeze picking up and making the cold unbearable when, at last, he reached the district where his apartment resided. Tired and wary he collapsed on his bed as soaking as he was.

* * *

Sasuke leaned his head on the door after he slammed it.

His friend on the other side of it.

He locked it, although a determined Naruto could break it down if he choose. He doubted it would come to that. He really wasn't in a mood to humor anyone.

And why?

Because his blonde teammate had to represent a shining realm that didn't exist. Naruto had the gift to reduce everything to such simplify that made it seem as if there were no problems to deal with.

He would like to callously shrug that the blonde didn't have problems, but he knew that wasn't true. But the Jinchuuriki didn't feel as alone and dejected as the Uchiha could. The village was a like an extension of himself. The blonde intended to take the mantle of Hokage and that was a dream that would connect him to every individual, making the residents and the village his life.

Naruto was already making an effort to be involved with people and to care.

Sasuke didn't harbor such an ambitions anymore and didn't feel much like understanding people who never understood him.

He didn't hold bitter angry feelings towards him, but he didn't feel apart of them either. Forcing himself to try was outside his range of habits.

It could be credited to his displacement in the ninja hierarchy which he had as of yet to retain successfully.

Though he had been allowed to partake in an unofficial mission.

His hands clenched. Sasuke breathed out slowly, willing himself to calm down. He had felt better when he woke up this morning, trying not to let it become an issue.

But it lingered in his mind.

He felt his door shake momentarily as his teammate hit it with his fist in anger or exasperation, the Uchiha didn't differentiate.

Sasuke removed his hand from the doorknob, letting it slide off. He moved away when he finally heard footsteps receding.

Naruto had sealed his fate, bringing up their female teammate. The Raven had been trying to not let guilt get to him, but the more he pushed her from his mind, the more he felt something was inherently wrong with him.

Could he manage to be genuine where he had always been lacking? He felt loneliness in his heart and was repulsed at romantic advances from the girls in Konoha.

Sasuke had sincerely told himself he'd try, if he could receive a compelling plea on the girls' behalf.

It hadn't happened.

It made him more disillusioned. And impatient, and irritated.

And then…

Yesterday's events came back into his mind.

He recalled them clearly.

Sasuke knew just what would make him feel better.

* * *

Just when the Uchiha felt like he should give up and the sun had beat on his back until it sapped nearly all of his stamina, and he'd finally reduced his speed—he spotted just the person he was looking for.

Running around for hours finally paid off.

A smile formed on his lips.

Ignoring the blur of red to his right, he marched right up to Kakashi.

Slightly out of breath, he paused to take a few drags of air while booring his eyes into an asphalt gray pupil.

His sensei seemed alert, regarding his former student with a cool expression.

Karin had whipped her head around. A coy expression coated her features. She blinked momentarily when the atmosphere shifted and she realized that this was neither the time nor place. Her 'Sasuke" stopped short. She looked back and forth as the tall silver-haired man and the boy of her dreams stared off.

Karin shut her mouth. She stared, kind of put out. She seemed to disappeared in the background like wallpaper.

She and Shizune exchanged a glance.

The two men just stared at one another.

Sasuke had a feral grin on his face and he was still panting.

Kakashi had a unreadable mask over his face, but he didn't look flustered.

There was some kind of nonverbal war happening in the two Sharingan-possessors eyes.

Shizune shifted and Karin opened her mouth to speak.

It was kind of ridiculous that they were just standing there having a stare-off.

It seemed like Sasuke was waiting for something.

In all cases, they were all waiting for Sasuke's action—since he'd stomped here with some purpose, a kind of resolution in his eyes.

"Kakashi." The lank black-haired boy with the arrogant mouth expelled the name with a growl.

"Um..Sasuke?" Karin ventured. She didn't try too hard, she didn't want to be on the receiving end of Sasuke's anger when it exploded—if it did.

"Sasuke." Kakashi stated, almost matter-factly. "What seems to be the problem? Did you want something with me?"

"Kakashi—there's only one…" Sasuke breathed out, "...thing that I want—to see."

"If you have something you want ask me, go right on ahead." Kakashi stepped closer. His grey eye unflinching.

Sasuke gave what sounded like an indignant huff. His eyes searching his former sensei's.

Karin frowned resolutely, she had enough of this. Neither of them were saying anything that made sense and why did she get the feeling she was missing something bigger.

There was acknowledgement in Kakashi's eyes which infuriated her. It made Sasuke's strange attitude almost make sense. The silver-haired man seemed to be hiding a secret in his eyes. Or at least it was a secret to her, she had the feeling Sasuke knew what to make of it.

Shizune had stood for a few seconds, then slowly, almost reluctantly she walked away. She had been standing behind Kakashi, but she didn't have all day. She turned back a couple times before shaking her head, telling herself that if she wanted to see drama, Naruto and Tsunade were more than enough for her.

If she had remained a moment longer, she would have seen the conclusion to the very long stare off.

Sasuke punched out Kakashi, his fist colliding with the nonchalant Jonin until he was on his rear end on the ground. The blow from the attack causing his face to be turned at an angle, finally breaking their gaze.

Kakashi looked back at Sasuke. It was obvious he made no attempt to stop Sasuke's fists when he probably could've.

Karin gasped. She looked confused at the man on the ground. She was certain he would get up and do something—hell _say something._

He didn't.

"That's what I was looking for." The Uchiha spat, his fist now throbbing.

With that last vague word, he stomped on his heel and turned back in the direction he'd come.

Karin was about to go trailing after him, but something in Kakashi's expression stopped her.

She knelt down instead and inquired, "Are you okay? Why'd he do that anyway?"

The Jonin blinked, and got up with a slight groan, patting her on the shoulder. "It's nothing." His eyes crinkled in a friendly manner and he seemed to act as if nothing had transpired at all. "Weren't you going after him?" With one last put-on smile, he turned away and started walking in Shizune's direction.

Karin stood, frozen. She didn't go after Sasuke. She had the urge to, but for some reason she had one annoying image in her head.

It was a memory as she was weaving through the forest, not on her own feet, being taken to a unknown village that she had no connections with. She road on the back of a man who was reassuring and who had treated her affably throughout her stay in Konoha.

Kakashi. He had a way of making things seem like a piece of cake. He was just so _chill_.

Behind his mask and his closed eye he smiled briefly at her before leaving. Karin could see his history painted there, in the prevalent sadness contained within his marble gray eyes, like a man who had lost so much so frequently but still found a way to be content. This sudden realization startled her, it wasn't just now she'd known it, but just this moment she had chosen to acknowledge it. Perhaps that was the thing she couldn't put on her finger every time he waved or smiled casually.

He was a man who had been through a lot. A HELL of a lot.

For a moment her rational mind whirred, unclouded by affection for the beautiful pale-faced boy. A flare of annoyance flitted through her at Sasuke's actions.

Karin reasoned that his was the action of a child and Kakashi's were those of a man, one who could let a kid indulge his whims and be the better person even when wronged.

It was fleeting, her admiration of Kakashi and Karin quickly shook off her thoughts, feeling she must be out of sorts for having them.

She took off at full speed in search of Sasuke, a curious look behind her once more.

* * *

Sakura closed the heavily bound book in her hands with a final slam, watching her patient drink the last of the potion she had concocted.

No longer needing the manual she was more than happy to shut its dreary pages. It was informative but difficult to read. It gave one a headache.

The two Hyuuga's lined the walls of Ko's bedroom.

Neji was leaning back with his arms crossed, his brunette hair sweeping over his shoulders and down his back.

Hinata clapped her hands jubilantly exclaiming. "Is that it?! All he has to do is take this for a few weeks and he'll be fine! Is that true?!"

Sakura let a long smile coat her face. She nodded.

Hinata gave a brief hug to Sakura. "Thanks Sakura-san!"

Sakura looked bashful. "Oh I really didn't do much. It was thanks to you guys that Ko will be recovering so well."

_Plus, you guys helped me out more, keeping me busy. S_akura thought, her mind already working out what to do next to occupy her mind.

She heard a distinct smirk from the corner. The pink-haired medic rose an eyebrow inquiringly at Hinata's cousin. She hardly had time to gauge his expression before he moved from his spot and exited through the doors. Ko claimed Sakura's attention before she could peer curiously in Neji's direction.

"I would like to express my gratitude"—_ccch_ _cch_-he coughed for a moment as the contents in the cup burned his throat with its strength.

Sakura laughed. "Try not to vomit it up. It's pretty disgusting."

Ko smiled sheepishly.

Sakura let the warmth of her good deeds settle a little more in her belly before she stood up and started gathering up the supplies she'd dumped all over the place.

Hinata sat dutifully helping Ko swallow down his medicine.

Sakura sighed. "I've gotta go rinse these." She was referring to the large tin bowl that she had ground the herbs in, as well as the other utensils. She gathered up as many things she could carry in her arms while still being able to push open the doors.

Sakura darted into the bathroom adjacent to the room they were in, which felt like a small room all on its own, given the size and design.

She tried to shut the door with her foot but something was hindering it. She swung around as she felt something brush behind her.

"Neji!" Sakura dropped everything in her hands, they fell to the floor with a distinct clang.

The tall brunette was bent over, wiping his wet face with a towel.

The bathroom was so big it had another room to it which was hidden behind a curtain, the one the pale-eyed man had emerged from.

She didn't notice him when she came in.

She was only a little awkward. "I'm sorry. I didn't think anyone was in here."

Neji bent down with ease and helped her gather her things. "I assumed as much, otherwise you might not have shut yourself in here with me." He said it matter-factly, his hair pushed behind him as he lined objects on the sink.

Sakura felt a twinge of annoyance, his attitude almost reminded her of Sasuke. She pushed that thought back.

"Ha. Very funny. I thought I'd wash these things out before they stuck on permanently. They're such a bother to clean afterwards."

"You certainly take your job very seriously." He remarked as she stared down a piece of metal harshly, turning the facet to the hottest dial she could crank it.

This made her blink. "What do you mean?"

His eyes swept over here. "Nothing really. I just noticed how intensely you focused on your job—I think you could match Lee or Gai-Sensei with that kind of attention. Here—gave me those—I can help."

He gave a wary though amused raise of his eyebrows, as he recalled his former teammate and sensei.

Sakura just nodded her head. She moved the dishes to the adjacent sink, taking a few from Neji's hands. "That's alright, I think soaking these will be best—for a while at least. I can go ahead and wash the others."

The sound of the water trickling softly as she began to gentle scrub, filled the bathroom. It suddenly felt smaller, with two people inhabiting it.

But Sakura didn't feel uncomfortable. She had interacted with the Elder hyuuga a lot during the War. He was one of the people she could stand, they spoke easily with one another. There was never any drama lining their discourse.

"Approximately how long did you say the poison will leave Ko's system? I don't want to rush him, but I know that Lady Hinata has an important mission coming up. I know she'd want him to accompany her."

"Oh. Well it shouldn't be too long. I mean, as long as he takes the medicine and he's had at least two full days of sleep and rest, he doesn't have to remain inactive for the three weeks it'll take to run out of his system." Sakura informed him.

Neji frowned. "How so? I was under the impression that when you said it would take a couple of week for him to recover you meant he would be weak during that period. Wouldn't it be ill-advised for him to travel?"

Sakura waved her hands. "No, What I meant was the poison would be neutralized within two days, but there would still be trace amounts in his bloodstream. To prevent a relapse it's best that he continue taking the medicine for as long as it's _completely_ expelled from his body, but he should be fine with a couple of days rest. It's kind of like when the doctor prescribes strep throat medication and advises the patient to take for the entire duration, but often the majority of people take it only until they feel better, not actually waiting until the bacteria has been killed off, entirely flushed out of their system. I've seen that a lot, and I'm just trying to prevent that from happening is all. But really, he'll be good—as I said—in a few days." Sakura gave a faint smile and went back to her ministrations.

"Hmm. I'll make sure to let Hinata know." Neji had his long sleeved Jonin undershirt rolled up at the sleeves, with the water running across his pale hands. He shook out a small basin he'd washed, sitting it on the counter.

"Oh, good. Thanks for your help." Sakura noted Neji's pile of the washed supplies and smiled at him, seeming to wave him off. She grabbed a towel from the sink rack.

Neji dried his hands and turned around towards the door.

Sakura's pale pink eyebrows knit as she worked. She was so preoccupied, that she only realized after a moment that Neji hadn't left yet.

He had stopped and was leaned against the wall, as he had in the room earlier, watching her. He spoke up after a beat. "There. That was the intensity I was talking about. I can see your work means a lot to you."

Neji's ponytail swung behind him as he adjusted his shoulder comfortably to the wall it was leaning on.

Before Sakura could reply to his comment about her work, he interrupted her.

"And as for thanking you for what you've done for Ko. It seems I have more thanks to give."

Sakura looked at him with additional interest. "What'd you mean?"

"During the War, there were comrades of mine who were treated by you. A friend of mine told me that you agreed to heal his arm when the medic he was assigned to had disregarded him, telling it was no big deal and that it could heal on its own. The woman wasn't a bad person, according to him, she had the idea that it would be wasteful expending chakra on so small an injury. He described you and said, you had been working the night shift and despite being obviously tired, you told him to come see you when you had heard about it. I don't think you knew it at the time, but he has a strong sensitivity in his arms and injuries in those areas tended to affect him greatly. Long story short—he was impressed by you. I guess you could say that I was also impressed by your efforts." Neji raised his eyebrow. "I think you and I are likeminded. You could see immediately the ramifications of how disastrous a small injury can often be, and one can't afford a moment in distraction during a war. I commend you for your decision regarding this."

Neji had such a calm, matter fact like way of stating things. But his praise was unexpected.

Sakura couldn't help her face flush a little bit.

Why did it make her feel like she was a starving cat who had been thrown a crumb to eat?

The compliment and the words-_I was impressed—_gave her a warm feeling.

Sakura smiled awkwardly. "Um...thanks. I did what I could. I would love to claim that I was being selfless and I was this white knight that your friend is painting me as—but the truth is—I just felt insecure and like I wasn't doing enough so I worked myself harder. It was really me trying to make myself feel better."

Neji studied her for a bit. "I think by saying that, you belittle the magnitude of your actions—although it seems like that's a habit you've acquired. Normally that comes from regularly listening to someone who puts you down constantly."

She looked down at her hands. "Nah...I just..." Sakura trailed off.

Neji seemed contemplative in the silence that stretched. "A word of advice would be—just be yourself Haruno. That should be enough for one person. Your efforts define you, not your failures."

Sakura had her eyes focused on the ponytail that swung back and forth as Neji spoke, like a pendulum. She couldn't look into his eyes. She suddenly reminded of Sasuke and how little he thought of her.

Neji pushed off the wall and headed for the door. His hand rested on the frame for a moment.

Sakura lifted the dry items off the wet towels. She glanced up when she heard his voice float up to her ears once more.

He was tall as he stood by the frame of the bathroom. He turned his head in her direction, looking ahead but addressing her.

"I think I always thought you were a silly girl, who didn't care much about anything outside of herself. But it would seem I have miscalculated once again. It should have been apparent to me given whose team you're on."

Neji smiled slightly as he dropped a reference to Naruto.

Then he left.

Sakura didn't know if she should be insulted or not. As she stared blinking with a great deal of puzzlement.

* * *

Mei Terumi lay on the couch of her office. Her hand resting over her forehead. She had discarded her Mizukage hat at her desk, it was more than just sleepiness that put her out, it was a fast-forming headache.

A letter had just arrived from the Hokage via messenger bird and Ao had just left her office, after informing her of the mayhem that had been going on in the village. For the past couple of weeks—surely a month now—there had been random killings of all types of ninja across the border. It didn't matter if they were carrying classified information or simply traveling for leisure. The bodies stacked up all the same. She had been sending men to investigate but they kept going missing.

The bright green eyed woman gave a turn of lips, an ironic smile.

She chided herself internally.

At first she assumed it would be a simple case. That didn't appear to be.

The Fifth Mizukage sat up on her couch. She bit her fingernail. A widening smile playing on her lips.

She had half the mind to cross the border herself and 'greet' the assailant who had the nerve to disturb the quiet of her village.

That would perhaps be too much. She didn't want to scare her poor boys.

Chojuro would think she wasn't confident in him.

The letter from the Hokage reemerged in her mind.

She had informed the blonde woman that she didn't need the leaf village's assistance. The stubborn lady had hinted that she would have a team on standby in case Mei changed her mind.

If The Hokage was trying to make Kirigagure look weak, she'd probably succeeded. But Mei knew she only had the best intentions and the Mizukage wasn't one to get flummoxed by pride. She left that to the men.

It was in the best interest of everyone that this was wrapped up as soon as possible anyway. It didn't matter who did what. Some of the reports coming in were starting to alarm her.

Grabbing a file from the bottom drawer in her desk, the tall woman sat down on the couch. She threw off her shoes.

She pulled her legs under her and set to work—she had to construct a team that could compliment the leaf's platoon, as well as include the new team in an updated plan of action.

It was times like this when she was jealous of the leaf having a great strategist at their disposal. Shukaku might have died, but his son was every bit as intelligent as his old man.

Perhaps she would request Shikamaru. Mei gave a slight pout, she really didn't want to rely on outside villages, she had planned to make due with the resources that she possessed, but it didn't look like that would be happening.

Oh well.

Mei felt a chill in the office. She was wearing a soft short azure dress, with the shoulders bare, a black belt across her waist.

She pulled on a long white shawl over her bare shoulders, which flared up to her bare pale legs. She gave a slight wiggle of her toes as she thumbed through the abundant stack in her hand.

She liked to be warm when deciding the best course of action and sorting out potential moves that could be made.

Mei's brunette-red hair spilled around her shoulders in messy array. She scooped it up, pulled it into a manageable ponytail.

Ahh. Much better.

It was her habit when thinking hard.

* * *

Naruto woke before the sun's rays danced in a ballet across the horizon.

It was still dark, there were at least a couple minutes left till dawn, and he had just thrown himself into bed a couple of hours ago, tired circles under his eyes were evidence of that. But his pupils were wide and his breath was short. He was very alert.

He had the same dream again.

About the boy with the purple eyes. The blood, the screaming.

The same feeling of dread concerning his friend Sasuke.

Naruto didn't pause to eat breakfast. He pulled on his pants, grabbed a jacket and after a short trip to the bathroom, taking care to splash water on his face, he exited his apartment.

His rumpled blonde hair, bleached from absence of light and his own somber mood, swayed in the wind as he stared up at the brightening sky with a determined expression.

He set off at full speed.

Sasuke sat in a tree, to him it was more than a mere sprawling root of green. It was almost laughable how much bitterness and confusion could be contained and waiting to be released at the simple meeting of an inanimate object.

He had sat at this tree and made the choice of what direction to take in his life, so many years ago.

It felt like everything had stemmed from this single choice. It was all a blur-a terrible blur of falling into darkness—the light winking seductively at him only a couple months ago.

Before that.

Before that.

All those years and all the time that lapse in a smoke of hatred.

It had been like a drug.

Killing Danzo hadn't felt anywhere near good, only when he'd convinced himself that he was righting a wrong that had been meant for him to judge.

In the end it made him feel like shit-when the high of intoxicating power wore off.

But did he regret it? No.

He'd probably do it again.

His ideals in purging the Uchiha name until it was purified, well it were silly given the methods.

How can one talk of cleansing when using a dirty manner to wipe up a mess?

Sasuke sat down and leaned against the rough, wooden bark.

He had long suppressed the memories of his years away from Konoha, and the twisted individual he'd become.

The things he'd seen and done.

There was something about the air of Konoha that made him long to become the person he used to be.

Maybe he wasn't a good person, but he sure as hell wasn't a bad one before he'd left.

Seeing Itachi-seeing him that one final time.

Sasuke's charcoal eyes smoldered. He bit his lip hold back the bitter tears that threatened but would never fall—_nii__-__san_

He felt like a petulant, lonely child.

So here he sat at the junction between his old self who dreamed of power but didn't comprehend where that path would lead him, and his mature self who saw too much and did too much, but still felt empty and sad despite everything.

Here—he'd become the butterfly and flown out of the cocoon.

Sasuke's limbs were longer than the last time he sat here, tied down. His hair had been shorter, and his temper sharper though chaotic, not honed to be precise and deadly.

His face now had a ghostlier sheen to it. His eyes were liquid fire, his chin and face more angular.

He was the snowflake resting on black ashes. Now he was apart of the tainted mess and couldn't separate himself from—himself.

His handsome features had such an anguished line to them.

His black hair fell over his face in a curtain. He was shaking, for a moment it looked like he was weeping into his lap.

He wasn't.

He was laughing.

The Uchiha's body shook as his laughter vibrated out of his mouth and into the atmosphere.

It might have been an attractive laugh, but it wasn't quite right. Something was off.

Everything was off.

It sounded like a dropped soda can, gushing from the top with no end to it.

It was shaky and without mirth.

A man's shoe stepped onto the wooden bark, in front of Sasuke.

The boy ceased in his echoing laugh, into silence. He remained with his head down.

A smile drew up the corners of his mouth. And his eyes which were dark under and over the lids, they fluttered slowly, precisely.

He knew that chakra signature.

"Are you here for round two?" A nasty sneer ripped from Sasuke's mouth and his words were spoken with such venom.

Kakashi looked down sadly at his pupil. "What happened to you, Sasuke? I thought this episode was at an end? You already did the whole angsty teen, emotional mess and frankly you did it very well. I thought you'd grown pass this. Sasuke, the war's over, please pull yourself together, if Naruto or Sakura were to see you like, it would break them."

_What really did happen? How can someone change this much overnight? _Kakashi thought bewildered.

_Perhaps he was never fine. His mental state could handle only so much. Is this a delayed reaction to all the years of trauma? He's acting the way he did when he met up with Itachi again? _

Sasuke started to laugh softly again. He lifted his head, his smile dying as he did so. "This is perfect. I'm glad you're here."

Kakashi narrowed his eyes. "I think we need to go visit Lady Tsunade."

Sasuke looked at him like he hadn't heard.

Kakashi wasn't sure how much he was hearing. Sasuke's next words sawed the silver-haired jonin in half.

"Kakashi. I only have to ask you to do one thing. Don't worry it's not something you haven't done before-

Tie me up—to this tree."

* * *

Naruto kicked off with a rush of speed, leaping over buildings, at last he had reached The Hokage's headquarters.

As the kyubi-container barged into her office without bothering to knock, he'd expected to find her asleep at her desk or not there at all.

He was surprised when he saw an alert, Tsunade gazing up at him in bewilderment behind a mountain of papers.

"Great! Baa-chan you're here. I wanted to ask you for a favor!"

"Kid, do you know how early it is for you to come and pester me? I oughta give you missions that keep you away longer if you're going put up a fuss the moment you return." Tsunade wasn't a morning person.

Naruto plowed ahead despite her mood. "Listen—since you gave the go-ahead to Sasuke, and he can start missions—I was wondering if you'd let me go with him? I know it'll be a bother, but I think that might be a good idea. I could keep an eye out for him. And not just that—I think Sasuke would feel more comfortable than if you threw him into a team with strangers."

Tsunade frowned. "Way to jump the gun. Aren't you aware that Sasuke hasn't even been officially reinstated yet—I merely gave the approval but he won't be going on a mission yet. Not on any official ones anyway." She muttered the part under her breath.

Naruto blinked, she continued.

"As for you going with him-" Tsunade had to look away from his pleading cerulean depths to make a rational decision-"I already decided that Kakashi will be the one who will accompany him."

Naruto didn't comment, he seemed to be pensive over something.

The Hokage raised an eyebrow when she didn't get an earful. She sighed.

Naruto spoke up, his voice rough. "I-I don't think that's a good idea. I mean. I've noticed that Sasuke kind of reacts badly when it comes to Kakashi sensei. I think that would make things go wrong. If he started off his first mission unhappy."

Naruto's calm assessment of the situation was met with silence.

The chirp of early morning birds could be heard outside.

"How is Sasuke doing lately? I've been meaning to ask." Tsunade inquired as she took a seat.

Naruto's eyes seemed to smile. "You know Sasuke, bad attitude and all, but he's great." Naruto chuckled. "Honestly, he's fine. I mean he acted like a total bastard over some small things—but he's, really, really, back to normal."

Tsunade could see how much this last part meant to the Team 7 member.

Naruto continued. "Sakura and I were really worried that when he returned, he wouldn't be the same. But he is, he really is. I feel like now for the first time, he'll have a chance to be happy." Naruto laughed, his mood light. "I was always joking that he was a bastard before and now that all the pressure's off him and he's back we'll get to see him act like a human being with emotions. Hell, he might be such a softy. I'm sure my stomach won't be able to take it."

Tsunade nodded approvingly at the blonde. "So everything's good then?"

Naruto nodded fervently, his eyes full. "Oh yeah. Everything is really great. I can't imagine things getting better."

"Well, it looks like I have a lot to arrange then, doesn't it?" Tsunade affirmed "And—I will consider you instead of Kakashi, since it seems like there's more to what you're not telling me."

"I'm really not keeping anything from you—I just—really don't know."

"Hm. Well, I'll call for you if I have any news for Sasuke, Alright? I'm waiting for a messenger bird actually. Tsunade frowned. "It should of come by now. Uh well.."

Naruto grinned, waving as he headed toward the door. "I know I could count on you, Baa-chan."

When the door shut behind him, Tsunade mentally chided herself for falling to his charms again.

"Oh you lovable ingrate." She breathed affectionally.

* * *

Kakashi stared down at Sasuke like he had sprouted two heads.

"I'm sorry, you want me to—what?"

Sasuke gave a devilish smirk. "Oh so now you think it's ridiculous. You weren't worried before leaving me while I was so vulnerable and my mind was all fucked up. The night, I'd never struggled so much and dealt with so much confusion. After all your preaching about taking care of your 'comrades' you left me to fend for myself without a backward glance. Your sage words of 'you know what the right thing to do' weren't a bit helpful. Do you know why I wanted to kill you, Kakashi? It wasn't just my part of being high on some power—I honestly held a grudge against you. You were such a hypocrite. I couldn't believe you had the nerve to stand before me, acting like some martyr when you were responsible for what I'd become."

Kakashi couldn't believe what he was hearing. "I don't have to remind you that you made your own choices, I won't believe that you're sitting here and actually blaming your own actions on me. You know as well as I do that nothing I did or said would have an effect. I'm surprised you would suggest that. Ask yourself—what would you have swayed for? Nothing right? Which makes the words coming from your mouth all the more unbelievable."

Sasuke lifted his chin to fully gaze up at his former Sensei. "There wasn't a goddamned thing you could've done to stop me. But the fact that you didn't even try—hurt."

The words were tinged in such malice and bitterness that it made the last word—Sasuke's admission of his feelings—surreal.

Kakashi closed his eyes and opened them warily. "I blame myself every day for the way Team 7 broke apart, I lay that responsibility on my own shoulders. As I said before, it makes me an inadequate sensei-"

"Cut the crap! There you go again, acting like you're some martyr. How is it you always come off as the good guy? It makes me sick. You didn't have time for me. But you were there for Naruto—weren't you? The man who preached to us over and over again to do nothing short of moving hell and high water for 'comrades' and that anything less were the actions of 'scum', and yet—you never did your best for me! You never-" Sasuke was shaking, his voice making a scrapping sound it seemed like he was tearing it up in his throat-"helped me. Naruto was the only one you believe in. I was nothing more than a bad memory you wanted erased-" Sasuke lowered his head panting.

If Kakashi didn't know Sasuke so well he would have sworn that he was crying.

Huffing angrily—seemed more probable.

It was the way he was breathing into his folded arms—like a child almost weeping that left the jonin speechless.

Anyone else and he'd know what to do.

The fact of it was that Sasuke reminded him of his younger self—and the only way to deal with his younger self was—to not deal with him at all.

Kakashi sighed, realizing this was the philosophy he'd employed in the past when he'd left the Genin tied to the tree trunk. Kakashi had thought of how he'd feel, wanting to be alone, and respecting the space he thought he'd required.

This boy—with the older features, nearly a man now—his face drawn tight nearly hyperventilating—he couldn't recognize.

"But Naruto—He-" Sasuke was speaking through clenched teeth. "You stood by him.'

The words out of the Uchiha's mouth were unreasonable and bewildering to the Silver-haired man 34-year old.

Kakashi was familiar with the jealous tone that the Raven employed. He'd witnessed nearly this same performance—without the abundance of words—the day he pulled Naruto and Sasuke from one another on the hospital rooftop.

That same black flame of defiance and jealously burned in the Uchiha's charcoal eyes.

"Sasuke." Kakashi cleared his throat. "I will acknowledge that your words might have some truth—perhaps I could have done better. I wasn't thinking so much of you as I was imagining my old self. I thought you required what I had-solitude. I truly believed that you would ultimately come to the right decision. It seems I wrong—in many ways than one."

Sasuke's shoulders fell forward, his head lolling, his words sharp "I can't stand your face."

Kakashi seemed to consider something. "Does this by any chance—have to do with what happened during the assignment?"

Sasuke scoffed. "What happened? Nothing. I'm just like this. Didn't you know." A twinge of something passed across his face, his face jerked slightly to the left, before it settled into a mask of indifference.

"Let's talk this out properly. I don't want to take you to the Hokage like this."

"I don't need to talk about anything."

Before Kakashi could take another breath, A figure in orange landed across from them.

The blond hair and azure eyes were telling.

Kakashi gave an inward sigh of relief. If anyone could talk sense into to the lone Uchiha, it was Naruto.

Sasuke watched the facial expressions of his sensei, catching the implications of his relaxed shoulders.

"What's going on?" Naruto questioned, coming to a stop next to Kakashi. He noted Sasuke sitting with a strain of tension enveloping his features.

"Naruto, I'm glad that you came. What are you doing here?" Kakashi stated stalling as best as he could. He wanted to give Sasuke time to pull himself together, he didn't want the blonde to find about his friend's crisis-or mood or whatever it was he was going through—unless it was absolutely necessary.

Naruto knit his light brows slightly. He began slowly. "I think Tsunade has a mission for Sasuke. I was called to bring him 20 minutes after leaving her office….stupid late bird." Naruto commented reflectively. He glanced at Sasuke's face and his features drew together seriously.

His tone was somber when he spoke, not like when he'd excitedly informed Sasuke before. His senses were on point, and this time he didn't bother to conceal it behind faked cheer.

"Let's go Sasuke." He bent down and grabbed his friends elbow.

Sasuke ripped his arm away from his old teammate. When he raised his eyes, it looked like blood was running through his pupils in a pinwheel.

The look was enough to burn down a forest.

Naruto pursed his lips and met his gaze.

There wasn't a hint of surprise in his orbs.

* * *

**I hope you guys stay tuned! **

**Review! **


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note: **Unbeta'd. Apparently last time, there was a sentence that said the Mizukage had 'torn out her hair and chucked it out the window!' I have NO idea how that got in there—it was a funny and ridiculous moment. I'm surprised I didn't get many people who noticed that. So weeeiird. I wrote this last night and I'm posting it now. If anything like last time happens—please let me know so I can fix it! I won't be updating for a while! I'm uber busy! But don't worry this story will continue!

** Noadri- Aw, thanks. I hope so! I just wish I went over things like I'm supposed to! But it put a smile on my face to hear you say that! I always feel like I'm shooting myself in the foot! Especially when it comes to fanfiction. I think sometimes that Sasuke is a complex character only because he's incredibly simple. **** Well the way that started was—I was watching the Mizukage and Sasuke match and I made a comment about making a good couple, and my sister was so disgusted at the thought-so I took it up as a kind of challenge. But I actually ended up seeing how good they could actually be! And thus this fic was born!**

** Stop Teasing—hahhaha! Right?! Wasn't sure if you meant that was a good thing or bad **

** TheNightingale13- Me too…me too. **

**Kw452- I certainly hope so! I know this story has gone slow for the most part, but next chapter will certainly pick up the pace. It doesn't take me long to write it, it's just getting time to actually write which is a bother. Thanks for your comment! Stay tuned!**

** TobeHonest- Thanks! You're actually the only one who caught that—or well mentioned it! I don't know what happened I swear! Hahahaha!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, and so on and so forth.**

**Chapter 9: Descent into Darkness**

The clang of kunai hitting branches with a distinct crunch sounded in the forest air. The brother and sister trees stood next to one another, shoulder to shoulder. Their leaves wet with the tears of the sky. The atmosphere had dried up and the air was more humid than anything else. The leaves of the branches were a vital dark green from recent rainfall, the brown trunks looked like they were painted with a coat of vanish until they gleamed, standing majestic.

Sasuke landed on the ground softly, his hands sans the kunai he held earlier.

The weapons were sticking out of targets and some were littered around the sprawling forest area. The Uchiha sat panting with his hand over one knee, sweat shining on his brow.

Some were hidden in expert locations, but he'd nailed them all. Even the extra one he'd placed to challenge himself—adjacent a bird's nest, up high in the branches.

It was the first one he'd heard hit its mark.

The humid air didn't help matters as he felt his pores spill out with sweat, his hair was saturated, and it trickled down his face without hesitation.

The pungent earthy aroma of the forest filled his nostrils as he breathed in.

The feel of the outside air winding around his body, his weapons positioned as he'd flew through the air, made him feel good.

Better than he had lately.

Sitting coped in his apartment, listening to the sounds of the people passing by as they had lives without him or sitting in a group of his old comrades feeling every second the distance that stretched between them and the awkwardness caused by his presence that couldn't be ignored.

The traitor, the ticking time-bomb, why was he with them anyway? That question loomed in everyone's mind, coloring the mood incrementally.

The first few times, going out to lunch, walking with them, it had been easy to ignore him or to tolerate him. In the presence of a certain Hokage-Candidate, it was easier for everyone to dispel the bad aura that lingered around Sasuke and reminded the other Konoha ninja that he was the comrade they could never fully trust, but who would walk through their village and by their houses on a daily basis and whose face they would encounter without fail at some place or other. He would always be there. He would wear the symbol on his forehead that told them he was one of them—but they knew and felt he was not.

So because of all these things, there was a gap between the Uchiha and leaf Shinobi.

Perhaps time would bridge the gap, but memory was not something easily disregarded, and everyone constantly recalled the actions of Sasuke and what he'd put everyone through.

He had been, for as long as they could remember, 'the problem' or 'the threat' that it was synonymous with his name and face. It was difficult to suddenly see him as 'a solution' to anything. A comrade.

Sasuke's black strands matted to his forehead, before his exhale blew it upwards. He was hot. The cold morning air didn't provide much relief.

Though there wasn't much of flush on his marble pale features. Instead the whiteness of his face shone ever more ghostly.

He'd been training at these grounds since dawn.

The isolation he'd craved was granted him, all of the Jonin and Chunin he'd known were sent on missions, they were all too preoccupied for him, and he was keeping himself busy as well.

Sasuke was sure that Naruto would have tried to barge in on him every moment he could, but the blonde was forced to give priority to what mattered more, and what could advance him in the direction of his sole ambition.

Which was not Sasuke—obviously. Bringing back his friend, had been like bringing back an old tattered headband for the sake of sentimentality and nostalgia, you didn't need anymore, and keeping it to peer at once in a while sufficed, but only when time and remembrance permitted.

These were merely facts.

Sasuke stood up, walking to gather the weapons lodged in the various locations. A long-sleeved white shirt probably wasn't the best attire for training, but it was what he had chosen to place over his head that morning.

Black shorts functioned to provide relief at the heat that gathered under his shirt, the cool breeze traveling up his thighs.

'Once more.' Sasuke told himself as he launched his graceful frame up in the air, releasing his supply of kunai.

He added a couple of more targets. With each round of this, he kept making it more impossible. Wasn't that the definition of training? Setting the bar higher each time and working to surpass it.

A _thunk _indicated the clean sound of the weapons hitting their mark.

His grunts punctured the air, birds launching themselves from their nests like canons as his training intensified.

At last, he had made it too difficult, where the location of targets were downright appalling and no amount of wrenching his body to odd angles could suffice to make it work.

_Itachi_. He breathed as he landed the final time, his energy spent.

The memory of watching his brother had sustained him as an image to surpass since that day he'd witnessed what seemed an incredible feat to him. Now he felt pathetic struggling for what he knew not.

What was he working towards?

A cool bottle of water found Sasuke's palm as he pulled it out of the bag he'd brought with him. He lowered himself to the ground, his head resting on the uneven earth.

The lightning fast streak of a presence with a strong chakra signature flickered over Sasuke's sense.

He leapt up with all the agility of a cat. His hair whipped back, eyes alert, rolled up on his toes before the figured settled in a twirl of leaves, to stand before him. Sasuke had a string fingered in his hand connected to a throwing star a couple meters back, with one flick of his wrist he could draw it towards him and nail the stranger in the back.

But it wasn't a stranger.

A visage of silver hair and tall form which looked back at his with a dark eye focused in drawn attention, were not unfamiliar to him.

"Kakashi." Sasuke stated, relaxing his hands, the drop of his shoulders hinting at his disappointment. He'd wanted a chance to stretch his muscles. "What do you want? What brings you out here in the middle of nowhere?"

Kakashi swept his gaze over the area, and then focused on Sasuke. "Hmm. Well, I'd say—you." The man stated nonchalantly as ever. "I went by your house, but you weren't there. I looked a couple places, then I figured." The Jonin gave a sweep of his hand to indicate where they stood. "Seems I wasn't off the mark."

"You figured? Well what do you want, since you've been looking for me?" Sasuke said feeling slightly agitated at the appearance of his former sensei.

"The Hokage wants to see you. Well—us—she called for me as well. I'm to get you and report back."

Sasuke pursed his lips at this, he felt a mixture of quiet expectation and contempt. _Now huhn. _

Kakashi turned his gaze away from the Uchiha's face, when he spoke it was with his eye turned to the dark distance. "If there's nothing more for you to do here, we can head there now. I would advise not waiting, it seemed to be important."

_Seemed to be important. _Sasuke felt an irk of annoyance at his former Sensei's tone. He walked forward and with a reluctant nod of acknowledgement towards Kakashi.

They both took off simultaneously, leaving a dust cloud in the air at their speed.

"I want you to do something for me, and I want it done on the down low. I have no need of even registering this a mission, it should be quick and easy. I don't have the time to go through formalities and bull. I trust you and Kakashi to keep this between us. I thought I'd do you the favor of having you go along with him, since it pertains to you—at least somewhat."

Sasuke stood in front of Tsunade with a disinterested look, Kakashi behind him. The Uchiha rolled his eyes upwards in attention at her last words. "What do you mean—pertains to me?" He asked measuredly.

Tsunade ran her hand over her neck as she stole a glance at Kakashi coming to rest her gaze at Sasuke. A sigh escaped her lips. "The place I need you to go is a shrine identified to belong to an Uchiha. It was a place where the clan gathered for clandestine meetings. It's outside the land of fire. The exact coordinates are very difficult to specify on a map, for obvious reasons. We have the resources to issue a mission finally. A perk from the alliances we now have. Now to remind you, it's not any place of great importance, I'm not expecting you to unearth something relevant nor is the mission itself even 'on the books.' It's one of those tasks that has been brought up before as something to look into but were always moved aside for things of importance."

A frown began to thread its way into Sasuke's forehead. He didn't say anything.

Tsunade gave a sigh.

Sasuke spoke, his voice level, nothing in his tone indicative of any type of emotion. "So why now all of a sudden? Why wasn't this place looked at before?"

Tsunade affirmed. "Oh it was, there was an old layout drawn up of it, but it needs to be updated."

Kakashi was staring out the window, he'd already been briefed.

Sasuke listened. The only giveaways to his thoughts were when he gave an arch of his eyebrows at one point.

Tsunade continued. "Keep in mind that in the end it's just a surveying job, which is why it's not on the priority list. I needed someone effective to do it, and I know you are probably itching to go on some type of mission."

"I was going to send Kakashi alone, but I figured at least one more person was needed to be on the safe side. I knew that you could probably use some time out of the village—you aren't officially slated to take on official missions, and so this seemed like a perfect one for you. And of course—you're an Uchiha, so I thought this might interest you a bit more than it would an outsider. And since Kakashi would be the one accompanying you on any missions you received—officially—it all fit."

"Just like that?" Sasuke said sardonically. A moment later he exhaled, "I'll go."

Tsunade nodded, his answer was indeed what she had expected. "Well then, it's settled. Kakashi will let you know of the departure date and such particulars."

Sasuke glanced in Kakashi's direction, then turned towards the door, making to leave.

Kakashi uncrossed his arms, and called out. "Sasuke, I need to speak to the Hokage once, but wait for me outside."

The Ebony-haired Shinobi gave a slight tilt of his head, and exited. He spared the Hokage one last look.

Tsunade didn't know what to make of the way the boy looked carefully into her face before turning his back. He seemed to gauging something.

When the door shut behind them, Kakashi and Tsunade shared a knowing look.

The blonde woman spoke first. "I need you to be easy on him. He's quite fragile, no matter how unlikely that may seem to you. Honestly, I'm hoping you can work out the chinks in your relationship—partly the reason why I wanted to send the both of you. I'm told that as captain you and Sasuke worked seamlessly with one another. I hope that can be once again. It might even help him to ease up a bit, if he establishes his former rapport with someone from his old team, it'll go a long way to restoring his confidence in Konoha. "

Kakashi gaze was level. "Believe me, I understand. I'll do my best." Despite his words, there was something like reluctance in his eye.

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The area looked like some great mechanical machine had chewed up the buildings and spit them out. Twisted steel and debris lay everywhere. It resembled the aftermath of a tornado. Sasuke sidestepped a beam that came crashing past him, kakashi who was walking up ahead had disturbed the area with his footfalls. The Jonin turned around, asking smoothly, "Are you alright?" A detectible cool edge to his tone.

Sasuke didn't blink or reply. He surveyed the man with his gaze for a second longer, before directing his attention to the scene before him.

They had crossed deep into the forest on the outskirts of the Land of Fire. After an ungodly pace, leaping through the branches, the two ninja stretching their leg muscles to their limits, had arrived just as the sun set behind the horizon, night dipping its ink across the sky. There was a sheen of perspiration that covered their faces in a brilliant gloss.

Kakashi and Sasuke spoke a couple of times, and only when it was relevant, neither of them much for small talk. The atmosphere wasn't quite bad, they had an understanding silence between them. And it wasn't for sheer competition that had Sasuke sailing across the air with the wind punishing his dark locks. The speed caused the breath to rush rapidly through his lungs as he inhaled. He wanted to bath in the feeling of freedom-one he hadn't experience in quite some time. Being outside the village had lifted a strange burden from his chest—one he hadn't fully known was there. His shoulders relaxed considerably and he was pleased with the knowledge of somewhere to go and something to do, anything that could disrupt the tangled network in his mind. The only reminder of his home was the presence that lingered in his peripheral vision. The Silver-haired Jonin had remained contemplative and hardly glanced towards him, which was fine with Sasuke.

The place was a mess.

"We came all this way to look at a pile of broken wood and crumbling cement." Sasuke remarked as Kakashi was bending down, sifting through the rubble on the floor with an amount of caution.

Even as he said these words, the red tinge of his pupils pulsed as his eyeballs strained with his bloodline trait. His senses were heightened when he had it activated. It made any movements around, keener. There was something in the air that made Sasuke pay attention. He was on alert like a cat who sensed a prey and waited, head high and tail frozen with tension.

There was still a somewhat visible outline of a building, the way the wreckage arranged itself. There was something familiar about this place. Sasuke leaned down in a corner where a curl of bushes resided, his hands played with the green, sparking something in his mind as the rough leaf edges grazed his skin. They say touch is a strong evoke of memory.

Sasuke's eyes nearly rolled back from the wave of realization that filled them to the brim.

He had been here before.

Fragments of images and feelings filtered in.

His chakra rippled out at the cascading memories.

The visage of his younger self danced in his mind's eye, wide and black, the tone of darkness. It gaped with innocence not malice or experience. Features shrunken to the point that his chin seemed like it was a third chubby cheek on his face. His younger self had dimples when his face pinched in childish expression. There was absence of the ghosts which created lines under the eyes. His was clear, his age about 4 or 5.

A toothy smiling face, light cracking across it with the radiance of childhood. He had been smiling at himself in a lake.

Sasuke's eyebrows twitched, his lids had fallen shut in the remembrance, there was a light that he found hard to take, harder on the more sensitive parts of his cerebral—those dealing with emotion.

One could be older, more mature, and wiser or jaded as hell, but looking at a picture, seeing a memory, or tracing your hand over old letters—suddenly one become the young naïve soul with the familiar nervous pangs. Experiences are emblazed with rawness, and the simples things, heightened, with the sheer amount of emotional overload to the senses.

Memory can bring all that back.

Kakashi was looking quite warily at a mess on the opposite side, not noticing that Sasuke had checked out and was in the throes of reminiscence.

His chakra escaped in a burst, sending a ripple through the area.

His feet were suddenly moving of their own accord. Sasuke came to a stop at an area eclipsed by green leafy bramble, shrugging it to the side made it all the more the more stubborn. Cracked cement blocks from the destroyed building spilled over and hindered any efforts.

Kakashi turned his attention when he heard Sasuke aggressively hauling the junk, throwing it behind him without any care to anyone who might be crushed by the large rocks he was slinging backwards.

"Found something?" The Jonin asked, walking up behind him.

Sasuke's eyes were roving over the area, his hands busy with their task. He had gotten on his knees, then his elbows, his hair touching the dirt-encased ground which was visible under the newly cleared path. His ear to the ground, he rapped his knuckles at something beyond the dirt and leaves.

A flicker in Sasuke's eyes indicated he heard a sound that confirmed something.

"Yes. I think so." Sasuke answered in response to Kakashi's question. His voice somewhat strained.

"Here, take this." A blackened wooden board was passed over.

After a few minutes, Kakashi and Sasuke stood over a revealed metal door embedded into the ground.

"A hidden doorway. Clever." Kakashi stated, his eye fixed curiously. "I'm surprised that the Anbu dispatched here didn't run across this. How interesting. I would expect nothing less from the Uchiha, designing a place that could remain undiscovered for handful of years."

"There was a Genjustsu barrier placed around here. I used my chakra to break it—I did it unconsciously actually. Then it was obvious to see." Sasuke informed him, his attention divided by his vision of his younger self holding a tall person's hand, walking down crisp metal doors. A spring day. A flurry of people around him. Warm on his cheek. The sun. Almost ash-gray hair in his peripheral vision—_Itachi_.

"Sasuke?" Kakashi's voice rang out, distant somehow, although he was standing at Sasuke's elbow.

Sasuke blinked. He was seeing the place near its birth, the building sprawling, hidden behind a plethora of towering trees. It almost looked like a base. The image of an Uchiha symbol—a tall figure walking ahead of him.

Just when it looked like Kakashi would have to shake Sasuke, whose eyes were unfocused, he snapped out of it.

"Let's go." With that, Sasuke yanked up the metal door-it was stuck and took a firm grasp, the rust making it sound almost like a human wail as it screeched open.

A dark void met them.

Kakashi blinked at the abruptness of his former student, but didn't say anything, instead lowered himself into the pit after Sasuke.

They both cracked light substitutes and a tunnel-like path was illuminated.

"Just a moment, Sasuke." Kakashi halted him. The Jonin formed hand signs and performed an earth element Jutsu. A mud wall pillar formed.

"Doesn't look too safe, but I see you're going ahead anyway. I guess then I have no choice."

He walked alongside his companion glancing curiously around with cautious steps.

Sasuke shut off the reservoir of images that collided into his skull, trying to focus on the scene, in the here and now. So this place for secret clan meetings. It seems the Hokage had been right, Sasuke thought as his footfalls increased.

"From that look on your face, I'd say you've seen this place before, perhaps as a child?" Kakashi intoned.

Sasuke inclined his head in response.

They were walking along the dim light path, the clack of their shoes echoing.

"If this is an Uchiha Hideout, then going in a linear direction isn't going to help us." Kakashi pierced the narrow space with his resounding voice. "It should be here somewhere. A switch."

Sasuke turned sharply to face him, a look of near surprise in his eyes which he covered up. "That's true, but here you're wrong."

A wrinkle of acknowledgement formed in the Jonin's eyes as he choose to answer Sasuke's unvoiced question. "I had a friend in the Uchiha, remember? Although he didn't mean to tell me as much as he often did." A sigh punctured the air. "I would say we had a relationship much like you and Naruto. Nearly anything I said railed him up." Kakashi's voice softened up considerably as he mentioned the troublesome but charismatic blonde.

Sasuke turned away.

It seemed like he wasn't going to comment, but after a couple of seconds. His voice sounded. "Obito. Huhn." His tone was a bit softer and more aggressive—if that was possible.

"We'll be walking for some time. I was wondering why this building seemed unremarkable from the outside—the real structure is underground. Though you would know more than me."

Sasuke spoke again. "You guys were teammates, right?"

It had been so long since he spoke once again, that Kakashi lost the thread of their conversation for a moment. "Obito? Hm. Yes." The Silver-haired man felt tempted to say, 'that's it, you're going to an obvious question and then be silent again.'

The seconds had ticked by.

He decided he'd find out what Sasuke was trying to find out faster, if he initiated the conversation. But just as he opened his mouth, the Raven-haired boy spoke.

"I've seen you so often, standing at his grave. I forget who it belongs to." Sasuke drew his lips into a thin line as he spoke his next words. "Why do you do that? Do you regret his death that much? Or do you wonder what your life would be if he hadn't given you the Sharingan?"

Kakashi's eyes took on a far-off look, there was the play of regret and sadness in the grey depths. He spoke slowly. "No, well, maybe. Hmmm. I wonder? Can I not leave his memory behind me, because of the awful curse and marvelous gift he bequeathed me?" His voice rasped. "Not especially, I guess to sum up a long story is to say—I realized something precious I had when I lost it."

The path seemed to be getting darker, or maybe their lights were waning.

Sasuke chewed that bit of information in his mind, reflecting his feelings through his eyes. "Friendship meant that much to you, huhn? You speak of him so—fondly." Sasuke spoke without expecting an answer. He seemed like he wasn't going to say anything, but he added quietly—almost to himself—as if it had slipped out before he could contain it.

"It reminds me of the way Itachi was with Shisui. But they were family—brothers almost."

The trail diverged into two paths. It rose up before them.

"It seems Itachi and I had something else in common. Obito was someone I saw as family. The only person I really had left to consider that way. Even after everything. I'm not sad to have known him." Kakashi gave a softened smile, Sasuke glanced sharply at him sideways.

"Do you know what we're heading towards? Since you said this place is different?"

No reply.

Kakashi kept walking. His face seemed to lose any of the sentimental edge it carried a moment ago. A mask slipped over it.

After 15 more minutes, the walls seemed to become less rustic and earthy.

Sasuke came to a stop and looking both ways, stood in front of the left side. "I'll go this way. I think it would be better if we split up."

Kakashi conceded. "Okay. Be careful, don't let your guard down. There might be traps." He had a trace of wariness in his voice.

He was speaking to air, Sasuke had already left.

With a sigh, he took the right.

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Sasuke stood before a large room, the walls were made of stone. His light was no longer necessary. There was somewhere in the grand room where sunlight filtered in. It almost looked like a common area. Dusty, age-ridden tables were nailed to the ground.

He ran his hands along the wall, an edge catching his fingers. It was where the flat slate of stone formed a counter onto the wall. A window into another room—a smaller room was beyond it.

A kitchen area?

His steps seemed to get heavier. Sasuke walked into the middle. A stone slab formed a bench, rotted now with cracks and dust.

He sat down for a moment there. Only for a moment before he rose again. His eyes fell over the planes of the room, the shapes and contours sized up in his mind. The silence contrasted with the sound that filled his ears seconds later.

When he stood up and walked to the center, it fell over him.

Sometimes memory comes in snatches, like pieces of a puzzle and one can hardly get them into an identifiable shape, but then there are times when it comes like a flash of lighting that even unseen—one knows is there—everywhere—though it was nowhere a moment ago.

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Kakashi was headed down the fifth diverging path he'd come to. It seemed to be winding into many more trails ever more frequently. It felt like walking around a maze.

Finally, the Jonin generated his Raikiri and smashed into the wall opposite him. Feeling like a mole in a children's game, he plowed through the walls up ahead, until it seemed to come to an end. A large open space met him.

He saw a sprawled figure on the ground. Sunlight shining from multiply direction in slits, around the room.

The form was still, pale-limbed with dark, ink-hued hair.

"Sasuke!" Kakashi cried out. "Hey! Wake up!" He reached the boy and picked him up, shaking his shoulders, gently at first, then urgently.

The face he was met with was drained of color, more so than he could imagine a live face to be.

The Jonin opened Sasuke's vest, and threw it off, his head down on the boy's chest to see if he could hear a heartbeat.

_Thump-da-thump da thump thumpthump da thump dathumpthump _

Music to Kakashi's ears. He palpated the area the way he'd see Sakura do, trying to slow down the heartbeat, it was going too fast.

A minute later, the heartbeat seemed to be going at a less alarming rate.

For a moment Kakashi thought Sasuke had regained consciousness, a noise escaped his mouth, sending forth rapid breaths, as he started to shake.

His body heaving in a near seizure.

There was a sound in the distance, a rumble.

"Come on. What could've happened?!" Kakashi looked around, his chakra stretching out to see if he could detect any threats. A strained silence later, he turned his attention to Sasuke. He didn't appear to have any physical injuries. He'd have to save the questions for later. They had to get out of here first. Kakashi pulled one arm then the other over his shoulder, pulling the form over his back, he sat crouched, then slowly moved to stand as the weight settled over him, balanced.

The low rumble he had heard a moment ago, seemed to be picking up.

Leaving the konoha vest on the floor, he lifted Sasuke on his back, determined to get out of here before he had to find out what that noise was.

Too late.

Up ahead, rocks seemed to be shifting. Something like a mini earthquake was happening. It was not a good sign. Kakashi sent a burst of chakra through his feet, grounding himself and moving with speed.

But he didn't make it in time.

The entire ground seemed to be caving in around them. The path where they had walked endlessly from had crumbled, and the boulders formed from broke up earth was sealing them in, as it came tumbling forward.

Kakashi had no choice but to back into the room he'd just escaped from, and pray there was another exit somewhere.

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"Naruto." Kakashi sighed, stepping in-between the two as they glared at one another.

"Go back and tell Tsunade, she'll have to postpone the mission. Sasuke's out of sorts, for the moment."

The said Uchiha was boring holes into the blonde's skull. His face was so concentrated, veins were visible on his pale throat and his hands, which he kept tightly clenched.

Naruto's tone was measured, and so quiet one had to strain their ears to hear, but the atmosphere had deadened to a cemetery-like silence, even the birds seemed to have stopped chirping momentarily. His voice rang clear, albeit soft—dangerous.

"Kakashi, stay out of it. I appreciate it, but leave it to me. Sasuke obviously has a problem. I want to hear it."

The Jonin had opened his mouth, then closed it.

Sasuke gave a crooked smirk, wide as it was sadistic. His eyes ran red as blood.

"What? So you can _fix_ me?" He snarled venomously.

"That's not what I meant."

"There's something wrong with _you_, Naruto."

"Just tell me what's bothering you. It must be something, whatever's wrong we can get pass. It'll be a lot of trouble if you just act like this."

"I'm not acting like anything. I just realized we didn't have our match."

"Match?"

"Didn't you say you would fight me?"

"I said I'd _stop_ you if you ever left the village again." Naruto had a look of alarm growing on his face. "Are you planning to leave?" He voice dropped to a whisper, almost like he couldn't bear to hear the answer.

"I'm not leaving anywhere."

Somehow, those words weren't reassuring. Naruto's face strained trying to read the underneath.

"Why would I? I just remembered I haven't fulfilled my goal."

There was a silence as Naruto waited for Sasuke to continue.

Kakashi stood in the background. He watched and listened. He trusted Naruto more than himself to handle Sasuke. He'd only messed things up.

"Your goal? What do you mean?"

Sasuke stepped closer to his rival. "Wouldn't you like to know." He sneered. He continued, mockingly this time. "Maybe I'll tell you. But first I'd like a chance to kick your ass. So name the place and let's go."

"You want to fight?! Why would I fight you! I don't even know what you're angry about?" Naruto held up his hands in confusion. "Why don't you explain it to me, so we can talk it out?!"

"Didn't I tell you before, the time for words—is over. I don't care what you have to say—I have no interest in talking to you."

"Sasuke—"

"When did you become a coward? I guess you feel spoiled by the Hokage and all your friends. You think you have nothing to lose. You think you have _everything_." His face darkened. He kept on pushing. "You say you never go back on your word, but I guess that's a lie since you're _running_ away from me, like a scared little mouse does from a cat. What? You can't _handle it_?!"

Naruto's fists clenched at his side. He released them after a short breath and a flicker of his eyelids. "We communicate through fists, huhn Sasuke?" He said with bitter irony, a sense of déjà vu looming over him.

"Okay, I'll agree. But it'll be taijustu only. I know my strength and I know yours, and the village couldn't take it."

"Fine by me. Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to beat you with my bare hands!"

Naruto looked frustrated again. "Promise me you'll stop this and tell me why you're suddenly this way! Why you're acting like you haven't changed—you HAVE changed! This is ridiculous! I know you Sasuke. I know you enough to know that you are just reacting to something, you mind is clouded. Just _tell _me! I can help you!"

A dark look folded over Sasuke's face. He bit his bottom lip to suppress the waves of anger. "Why is it I'm the one who is always wrong? HUNH! Why is everything you do right? There's nothing wrong, I don't have any problem! Why is it that only you are allowed dreams?!"

Sasuke was practically seething at the mouth. His face had matured, but the anger was the same bitter, hateful lust that had seduced him once before, when Madara had gained influence over him. When Itachi had beat him into a coma. When he had killed Danzo.

"Whoa, Sasuke. You need to calm down. Where's this coming from?" Kakashi intervened, stepping in front of the blonde.

Naruto fell silent. He was trying to read Sasuke with his eyes. When you know someone really well, you can almost reach into their soul with your heart. He was trying this. He was trying to understand his best friend. So very badly.

Kakashi went on. "Consider this, Sasuke. You can have your fight, but if the Hokage hears about this, I can't promise you that you'll be forgiven a second time. _Don't waste your last chance._"

Naruto lowered his head, his eyes encased in shadow.

Sasuke seemed to have calmed down. But malice seemed to spring from his features even more. He looked only at Naruto, like Kakashi wasn't between them. He addressed only his former teammate and lifetime rival.

"I'll put it in simple enough words for you. I want to be fucking Hokage! And I'll fight you for it! That's my dream! That's what I want! And frankly you're standing in my way!"

Kakashi didn't say—couldn't say anything, he just turned his solemn face towards Naruto.

The blonde opened his eyes, the azure an almost navy blue shade. His hair bleached by the sun.

"Hokage?" He said softly.

"Yes! We'll see who deserves it more! Or are you going to take the coward's way, Naruto." Sasuke spat out. The vein on his forehead ticking now.

"Do you even know what that means?" Naruto's voice was rising.

"There you go again, your answers are the only right ones! I watched my clan slaughtered, I don't have a brother, mother, father, or single relative left! The only thing I have is this village! This village that Itachi loved until his dying breath. Why is it so wrong for me to want it then?!" Sasuke's sharingan dimmed. His anger seemed to give way to a defeated look. He was still livid and itching for a fight, but his body language tired somehow. His voice was straining until it sounded like it would shatter, eyes bulging out of their skull.

But Naruto never got to respond.

Kakashi, who was toward Naruto had whipped around and pierced Sasuke with something in his hand. Sasuke who was focusing all his senses on his rival, wanting to hear a response. He wanting to know what Naruto had to say.

He'd crumpled onto the floor of the tree before he could.

Then, Kakashi really did tie him up again.

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**Did meant to end on a cliffhanger-er—if you consider that as such. I had to stop writing and that's why it ended at that part. Don't hate me for it! : P**

**Review!**

**Your comments are vital guys! Especially at this point in the story, let me know what moved you or turned you off! That way I can improve things. And any suggestions or expectations are welcome to be shared! **

**Peace out ya'll! **


	10. Chapter 10

**Author' s Note**: Don't you just hate those four letter words that get in the way of writing fanfiction? No, but really, I couldn't write period. My mind has a way of acting like a stubborn 3-year old sometimes. Don't worry, I'll bribe myself better next time!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. If I did, Shikamaru would have another Arc. **

**(By the way, the title of this chapter doesn't refer to anything romantic. Sorry guys! Not yet!) **

**Chapter 10: Desire, The double-edged Sword**

Sunlight poured like ozzing honey over Sasuke's eyelids.

They fluttered once.

Cool, callous hands grazed the back of his neck.

There had been so much anger, spurting out of him. It burned like bile in his throat, now unreleased it was contained back into him.

Naruto watched Kakashi bend down to his knees, his hands cradled back of Sasuke's neck. He moved them to his shoulders, adjusting the boy until he was leaning comfortably against the tree.

"What are we going to do?" Kakashi asked, turning to face Naruto.

The blonde stood, feet apart, shoulders tense, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. His eyes held an unfocused look. He was staring down at his friend, running their exchange over and over in his mind.

His blue eyes whirring with speculations.

"What did you give him?" Naruto asked, his brows furrowing slightly, posing his own question as a response.

"You could say it's a knock out drug—to induce sleeping." Kakashi's silver wisp of hair blowed forward as he stood up. He held out his hand. In his palm lay an empty capsule with a residuel smear of yellow. It was attached to a long point, a needle.

The kind of thing that was used by Anbu to deliver antedotes or poisons quickly to the system.

Naruto had seen that sort of deviced used by medic nin.

"I can't believe that you managed to use that on him, Kakashi-sensei. The Sasuke I know wouldn't be someone who'd lowered his guard enough to be taken in by something like that. I'm not sure what that means.."

"He was so angry." Kakashi said, by way of explanation.

"I know."

"No, Naruto. He was so angry."

Naruto looked up at his former sensei. Kakashi turned his gaze upwards, his eyes fixed at the shivering leaves on the tree branches.

Naruto opted for silence, waiting for Kakashi to make his point.

"He was soley focused on you. His angry was so wild, so irrational, and all consuming. Anybody could of caught him off guard in that state."

"I—I guess, he must hate me for something." Naruto's teeth clenched, his eyes shut, his fist tightened.

"No, don't get me wrong. He may have been blinded by hate and anger, but he's not mad at you."

Naruto looked up in surpise at Kakashi. "I don't get it. You just finished saying that he was so pissed at me that he abandoned his basic shinobi instincts! You don't act like that towards someone unless you really hate them! After everything I've done! I don't get it Dammit!"

Frustration was starting to leak out of his pores. Naruto had his head hang.

Kakashi, his hands in his pocket, his gaze upwards, shook his head. "I mean to say you weren't the target of his malice. It isn't you that he is angry towards. It's me. Sasuke is like this because of me."

The Silver-haired Jonin paused, his last words ringing through the air, with a defeated tone.

Naruto drew up his face, a hand brushing back the blonde strand that flopped over his forehead. His fingers loosened where they had sqeezed his head in frustration.

"How?"

"Sasuke is like a child right now. I understand why he's doing what he does, and why he's acting the way he is. You could also say, he's not quite so sane either."

"Kakashi sensei, Sasuke isn't crazy! How can you say that?!" Naruto growled, his hands flying in question.

"You see I thought about that. I thought about all the excuses he could have, and none of them would be good enough, unless he was mentally unbalanced." Kakashi held up his hand when Naruto's frown deeped and his mouth opened to protest.

"Hold on just a moment. I know the reason why he's like this, but it is only made possibly _because_ of his state of mind. Do you follow? Let me give an example, this tree for instance. If I were to chop away at it and leave only a sliver of bark on the trunk, at any point even the smallest gust of wind could finish the job and knock it down, because it's already weakened enough. Likewise, Sasuke's mind is fragile and anything that upsets him just serves to worsen his condition. It doesn't matter whether it's a big issue or a small one."

Naruto's eyes were moving back and forth, taking in Kakashi's words. There was a flicker of something there—a notion that there may be some truth to his words. But the ever-prevalent reluctance to accept it, shone brighter in his azure eyes.

"I-I'm not saying I agree, but then why do you think he's like that in the first place-weakened mentally I mean?!"

Kakashi had to turn around and stare pointedly at Naruto. "I'm surprised you have to ask. Look at everything that has happened over the course of his life. If he wasn't insane because of it, I'd wonder."

Naruto's shoulders slumped. He had the image he could never shake, despite how long ago it had occurred, or the fact that things much worse had happened. Still, that moment—that image came back to him.

It was the day he sat looking into the empty eyes of his friend Sasuke Uchiha, after Itachi had used Tsukiyomi on him.

He had felt such a fear that day. He was so young, inexperienced, and the only thing he could think of was that he wanted to protect Sasuke. It hurt to recall how weak of a person he was back then. Yelling, in his passions, that he would go find the Akatsuki himself. He felt a lump of gratitude swell his thoat at his father-figure and mentor, Jiraiya who had stopped him.

He remember thinking that day, years before.

_Why Sasuke?!_

As he blinked, meeting Kakashi's gaze. The same words resonated through his mind. But it wasn't with the same ring of futility.

He was strong now.

He had a better grasp of things, and the confidence to know that he could see things through. And pain, well he could bare that easily enough.

He could protect someone now. He could. His closest friend-no problem.

Because that moment was nothing like this one. He'd never go back there.

"You said he was angry at you? You never explained why you thought that?"

"You mean you haven't noticed before now?"

"No—" Naruto froze, his mind conjuring up something that had bugged him.

Yes. He had noticed. And wondered.

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Karin was screaming as Ibiki dragged her away. "I said I aready signed them! Man!"

Naruto was laughing hard as he sat at Ichiraku's, Sasuke sitting at his left.

He had just waved to Hinata and Sakura who departed.

And Kakashi who had disppeared in a cloud of fog.

"I bet you anything, Kakashi-sensei did that on purpose. He acts all innocent, bet he secretly enjoys being a thorn in her side! It's like when he used to make us wait for hours when we had missions. Man! It's nice to see that look on someone else's face! Naruto was chuckling loudly, his empty ramen bowl tipping when he slammed the table with mirth.

Sasuke stood up. "Let's go. I'm finished." The dark-haired boy threw some dollar bills onto the table and turned to leave the booth.

"H-hey! Wait up for me Sasuke, you jerk!" Ayame had just placed another hot bowl in front of him. "I'm not finished eating—oh hell—can you just wrap that up for me. I'll have it later. Though it probably won't be good when it's cold!" He grumbled the last part.

A minute later, the blonde pulled his jacket off his seat in a hurry.

The wind slapped at the wrinkles on his black T-shirt as he ran to catch up with Sasuke.

He almost ran straight into Kakashi sensei, who appeared in front of him.

"Woah! Hey!" He skidded to a stop. "What's up?"

A few paces away, Sasuke had stood waiting for his friend to catch up with him. He was leaning against a pole adjacent to Naruto's current position.

His eyes narrowed when Kakashi appeared on the scene.

He started to make his way towards them.

Naruto's brass tones were becoming louder. He was protesting grumpily about something.

He was really on a roll. Sasuke felt a tug of amusement on his lips. He knew that expression, it was when Naruto was feeling particularly sassy, wanting to be impossible.

God help whoever was on the recieving end of his whining.

"You're one to talk about doing things on purpose, Dobe." Sasuke muttered, recalling Naruto's words at the Ramen Shop earlier. The blonde often ran you in cirlces with his dense 'hunhs' and 'whatdayameans' in an overly empahsized tone, until you got frustrated and stomped off. He could rival Shikamaru in laziness when there was a task he wanted to avoid.

He was doing that right now with Kakashi.

Sasuke had been looking at Naruto with exasperation and amusement, when his eyes traveled casually to Kakashi.

The smile on his lips froze, then disappeared.

Kakashi had reached over and rumpled the blonde's hair. His eyes held a look of being absolutely smitten, the way that a mother gazes at her 3-year old when they're being naughty but lets them get away with it, finding it impossible to resist their charms.

Kakashi looked sickeningly paternal.

It made Sasuke's stomach do a mean summersault.

Naruto was the first to acknowledge Sasuke's presence. He blinked happily, as Sasuke was coming closer.

"Hey!" Naruto exclaimed when he spotted Sasuke.

Simple-minded fool, how could he contain so much happiness in a one word?

Kakashi took his eyes off the blonde, to nod his head as acknowledgement at Sasuke.

Sasuke didn't particularly realize that his expression was a lot harder then he meant it. But he felt Kakashi blink once at the intensity of it.

He came to a stop next to Naruto, who had some papers in his hands. Sasuke felt this spiral of emotion unfurling in the pit of his stomach, like a tornado whirling choatically in all directions.

Kakashi and Sasuke stared at one another in silence.

Naruto gazed up at his friend in surprise. The expression in Sasuke's eyes looked pained. To anyone else it spelled the beginnings of anger or hate, but to Naruto it looked just like a puppys' when kicked kicked.

Naruto was engulfed in his friend's mood, wondering what had happened.

Kakashi interupted him, the Jonin continuing like he didn't notice anything was the matter, "Well. I leave that to you. I'm counting you! Remember!"

He snapped back just before Kakashi disppeared in a smoke. "Hey! What am I an errand boy? Why don't you just stop by and give it to Baa-chan! It wouldn't take you very long! Hey!"

His cry was met with deaf ears.

"Tch." He turned back to his companion. "Hey, what's the matter?" He thought he imagined the look that Sasuke and Kakashi shared. It was so cold.

"Nothing."

"Are you still mad at Kakashi-sensei, just like earlier when he asked you to go training with him?"

Naruto questioned. But as he looked, he couldn't find the enveloping darkness he'd witnessed in Sasuke's eyes a moment was only a tired look.

They walked for a few minutes with Naruto gazing warily at Sasuke, trying to figure it out. His hands were cradled behind his back. He walked slightly behind him, squinting as he mentally exerted himself.

"I guess a lot has changed since I've been gone." Sasuke said, speaking up after a while.

"That's expected. Heck, I've changed too!-or haven't you noticed!" Naruto fell back into teasing his comrade.

Sasuke gave a slight scoff, which made the blonde's smile get wider. See he was imagining things, Sasuke was fine.

"Kakashi looks like he just can't say no to you."

The comment was odd. It ring funny to Naruto's ears. "Yeah, he accepts me now. Don't you?" The blonde replied in a low tone. This conversation was quickly bringing up the 'cue-the-violin' moments of his past, before he met any of the people he called 'comrades' or 'friends'.

"I'm grateful." Naruto replied sincerely, shaking off any melancoly thoughts.

"Are you." Sasuke stated, a hollow echo to it.

The tension seemed to melt after a while.

Ten minutes found Naruto easily telling Sasuke funny stories about the Hokage. The Raven had even cracked a smirk.

Then Ino Yamanaka had stepped in front of them and Naruto had slyly left his friend with a knowning wave.

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The memory vanished like a cloud of smoke in Naruto's head.

"Yeah, I guess I did notice."

Kakashi sensei and him stood looking down at Sasuke Uchiha's limp form slumped against the tree. The sun was starting to set now. The red tinge of the horizion bleeding into the atmosphere. A red glare hitting their eyes.

"But I still don't get it."

"I suspect that Sasuke is jealous that I've been there to protect you Naruto, when I haven't been there for him."

Kakashi spoke so matter-of-factly, that it was plain he'd thought this over in his head a number of times.

"But Sasuke's—He's not like that—I hate to say it but he doesn't care what you think of him. That doesn't really make sense, he's never been one to care about those kind of things. To get jealous like that—It just doesn't-"

"Sasuke's mind is like a child's right now, you have to understand that. He's become that way because he's never dealt with things. All of it is catching up to him. You have to understand that. In a way, this may be good for him. Sometimes the only way to be alright, is to completely unravel first."

Naruto sat down, crossing his legs under him. A hand on his cheek. "I was worried when he came back, it felt too good to be true. When we were walking together to the Konoha gates, Sakura-chan with us. It felt like a dream." He exhaled. "I can still see the back of him, as he walked into the village. I guess I should of known that everything wasn't magically going to be alright. How can I tell Sakura-chan?"

"Naruto, people deal with trauma and get through it. As long as Sasuke is given the proper care he desparetely needs, there is a chance he can have a normal life."

"As a shinobi, can we really ever have a normal life?" Naruto wondered under his breath.

Kakashi looked at Naruto in surprise. "Are you regretting being a ninja?"

"No. It's been my dream for the longest time. To be able to have the strength necessary to protect all the people I care about, And...no matter how much trouble it is, that's the life we choose, isn't that right Kakashi-sensei? I just meant, Sasuke really just needs some normal. For him, that would be going on missions. He's someone who thinks with his body. I think apart of the problem is that he hasn't been able to leave the village."

Naruto was speaking contemplatively. He fell silent. His head perked up for a moment, seeming to remember something. "You said-" His eyes lowered, understanding swimming in the cerelean depths. "That he wishes you were there to protect him, you sounded so sure? Why'd ya think that?"

"I went on a mission with Sasuke, it was unofficial. Lady Tsunade sent us. It was then that I—"

Kakashi stopped talking.

They both felt the spike of chakra in the air.

Sasuke had woken up.

Naruto was on his feet in an instant.

Sasuke's face seemed much tamer. He looked almost drowsy. He was slowly peeling his lids open, he blinked too slow for it to be normal.

_The drug_. Naruto thought.

He even had a hard time lifting his chin so he could glare effectively at them. He swallowed a few times, distrusting his voice to not slur. A twitch went through his limbs.

His foot. Left. Right. His arms.

He was secured to the tree.

It was sadly ironic.

Kakashi had turned around, his back to Sasuke as he was waking up.

Sasuke felt alarm go through him when he percieved that he was tied up, no doubt trying to recall what had happened. His eyes flickered to Naruto, his posture relaxing at the sight.

He probably thought for a moment that he was captured by enemy ninja. But seeing the face of his old comrade, wheather they were getting along or not, made him somewhat at ease.

Though he'd never admit it.

When his eyes fell on Kakashi, it seemed to come back to him.

The jonin eyed the boy tied to the tree who was started to nearly froth at the mouth with anger, and made a motion to leave.

"Naruto." Kakashi said.

The blonde nodded without looking away from his friend. "Got it sensei, you can leave now."

The Jonin departed.

Silence whistled through the air.

Naruto finally spoke up. "It wasn't my idea, but you're drugged and since you're not going anywhere maybe you can listen to what I have to say."

Sasuke groaned, flexing his arms, trying to push off with his numbed toes. And he was doing it too.

Naruto was certain that the drug was supposed to be in effect, yet in one minute, Sasuke had rose to his feet, albeit tied to the tree by his hands.

His strength was not a joke.

Sasuke managed to form a nasty smirk with his facial muscles as he spoke. "I never took you for a coward Naruto. But you had to resort to _this_." His voice was mocking.

"Let's talk. _Everything_. Sasuke, I mean it."

"What makes you think that I—" Sasuke began, contempt plain on his face. His voice rising.

Naruto interupted him, speaking so softly that his words were almost lost in the wind.

"I understand you Sasuke. Really I do. Kakashi is probably the only thing you have left of your family. You associate him with the Uchihas, his best friend was one. He has the sharingan. And he was our sensei—you _care. _When you came back, these weeks, you felt alone. I get that!"

Sasuke had his mouth open, veins bulging across his neck. So much hate in his eyes. But no sound came from his lips.

Naruto was looking sadly at his friend, but as he stopped speaking, anger shone in his eyes. His eyebrows drew down in furious expression. "I get it! But HOW could you FEEL like you're alone! I TOLD YOU, YOU HAVE US, we're your comrades! I thought you were a genius Sasuke, why can't you understand that blood ties are not the only strong ones!"

"Naruto." Sasuke cleared his throught. "What the fuck are you talking about? You think I'm sad over stupid things. I told you, I want to be Hokage and I want to kill you!"

Naruto reached for the tree, his hand on the wires, and pulled.

Blood dripped on the ground from the cuts that were made on Naruto's hands, Sasuke's eyes watched the crimson flow in droplets.

Naruto's chakra swirled in his body, gushing to the surface. His pupils turning red.

A loud snap and the wires had severed.

He stepped back, his hands clenching against the red.

Sasuke was freed.

He fell to the ground, cursing his inability. He willed his drugged body to stand, but he was bent over, palms in the dirt, unable to shake the need to take deep breaths with every effort.

"nhh...hnnna..." Deep breaths wracked his body. His vision was started to come into clear focus, but it blurred again.

He hadn't felt this helpless since...

since...

Memories threaded through his head.

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The images came faster. Brighter.

Laughter and voices rising.

The dusty room of the long time deserted Uchiha hideout had slashes of sunlight from the cracks in the ceiling.

Dawn had come and the light lit up the musty area.

Sasuke was not regretting splitting up from Kakashi. He felt like this place should be for his eyes only.

He swayed. He caught himself, surprised.

He stood for a moment, eyes wandering. Something in the back of his mind was knocking on the door of his conciousness. Something tickled there.

His Sharingan whirred, without his permission.

Every inhalation of this ruined place, every step made over crumbling rock, and every slab of stone dipped into his pool of memories, until they pieced together in his mind, rolling out like film before him.

There was a myth that sometimes when Uchihas are young, because of the Sharingan that they will one day possess, the chemicals in their brain periodically become stimulated, during times of emotional stress to store a memory or two photographically.

Sasuke had unknowingly, as a young child stored a memory of _that_ day.

He remembered the feeling of heightened emotion, too much exitement and anxiety from his first time at a clan meeting.

The room whirred now to life before his eyes.

Like a genjutsu.

His heart was stuck in his throat, as a seven-year old Itachi walked past him. The room was alive with hordes of clan members, the tell tale Uchiha symbol embroidered on their clothes.

Women, children. Men.

Itachi.

It was like he'd traveled back in time. There was no longer the dust on the ground, gleaming tables, breezy curtains, and the presence of people who had been dead now for many years, were recalled into life easily.

Everything his mind had witnessed that day.

Every detail.

A paper fluttering to the ground that he'd seen out of the corner of his eye.

His chest rose and fell with increasing speed, his heartrate acclerating.

An argument with two clanswomen bickering about their sons, he remembered tuning in to their conversation and could now here it played out before him, but only as much as he had listened.

Then he—his child self—ran to a stone bench where his mother sat and laid in her lap.

His eyes shut, his mind calling to mind the feeling of being nestled against his mother while the warmth of the sun caressed his face.

His old feelings coming back. His old ideas and naivete.

It was too much.

Mikoto—as he'd seen in pictures and his old memories-was now so vivid. She was so real that he was frozen with fear.

He walked numbly. One step. Two steps.

Her skin pale, like his. Strands of bony hair that somehow looked navy blue, falling over her eyes as she threw her mouth back in laughter.

He'd told her what animal's butt one of the clan members hair looked like.

_Not Itachi's though, hunh? _She'd remarked amused.

Sasuke took a step closer to the images of his mother and him, just when he'd fell to his knees and raised his hand to touch her cheek-it all vanished.

His vision went dark. His hands brushed his face as he collapsed on the ground.

His face was wet.

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"I've never heard of such a thing." Tsunade frowned. "And this is what he told you when you found him?"

Kakashi nodded. "When I found him unconcious on the floor, I carried him as fast as I could. The ceiling caved in on us. I managed to make a summon so we could dig our way out of there. Afterwards when he woke up. The sun on his face, to the outside world, he a bit nonsensical in his speech and—crying afterwards.

Tsunade raised an eyebrow, as if she didn't quite believe it.

"No sounds came from him, and even his expression was blank, but he was calling for his mother and itachi, his face kept running with tears. I confess I thought I was done being surprised. He was a mess."

"Well you know the reason the Tsukiyomi is torture, the way it is able to project images that don't exist and make them almost tangible to one. It enhances physcial sensations to delude the person. Happy memories may be just as unbearable as painful ones to remember, especially when one has a visual jutsu that can make it seem that real. It's hard to be reminded of the things we no longer have."

Kakashi nodded. "It's why he's like this now. He experienced a reality that doesn't exist anymore. The look when I woke him up—it was like he'd rather have kept sleeping. It was the most beautiful sight to him, his family, something he didn't have in his waking life. He said he was _there. _I have to admit, I think it would take me a while to get back from that kind of experience. All of our weaknesses are in what we most desire, to see those who have left us and to feel the happiness and contentness we felt in the past. If anyone could hold that for even a few seconds—they wouldn't willingly let go."

Tsunade closed her eyes briefly, her hands on her hip. Blond hair falling into her eyes as she cast them downwards. She'd almost gave up everything at the mere idea of bringing back her lover and brother to life, just for an illusion. If anyone could understand this, it was her. Her green eyes clouded sadly for a moment.

Kakashi's foot absently tapped the ground. He sighed. "He also harbors resentment towards me, for not being able to help him, but like I told you, I suspect this ordeal has brought that type of pointless anger out of him."

"Oh, I doubt it was pointless anger. Uchihas have a greater depth of emotion. Even though he may not act like it, at the end of the day he's just a student who looks up to his sensei and feels petulent when he's not given enough attention."

Kakashi shook his head. "I can understand that acting up in this way is normal, but the way he reacts isn't normal. I suppose I can't blame him, he's doesn't know the concept of emotional stability. He takes out his frustrations out the only way he knows how."

Tsunade bit her red nails. "This is all just great timing. I recieved a letter from the Mizukage a couple of hours ago. I had planned to let Sasuke have his first official mission. I set up a team to assist the Mist Ninja on the trouble they've been having of a rogue shinobi murdering civilians as well as ninja, on their border. I wanted Shikamaru, Sasuke and Naruto. But Shikamaru recieved a summons from the Cipher division an hour ago, and Sasuke as you told me, sounds like he is not in any condition to leave the village. Given all this, Naruto is not likely to go anywhere. So there you have it, the best laid plans...chh."

Kakashi was about to speak when a knock issued from the closed doors.

"Who the devil is it?!" Tsunade called out, annoyed. It sufficed as a 'come in'.

Two forms, one with bright blonde hair, and one with dark ebony tresses came into view.

"Naruto, Sasuke?" Tsunade questioned, bewildered. She looked back at kakashi and then the two of them.

The Uchiha's face was composed. He looked—fine. No anger or malice detectable. He looked alert and stood very still.

Naruto stepped forward. A small smile cracking over his features. "We're ready for our mission, Baa-chan."

**I saw this beautiful fanart picture, it had Naruto standing in front of a mirror, his parents reflected in them, but no one was behind him. It was the mirror of Erised from Harry Potter. **

**Though I had wrote this chapter before I saw that picture, somehow that is exactly what I'd been trying to convey with the Sasuke Memory scenes. **

**The idea that one can become unbalanced if they were reminded of what they could have or what they had before. **

**Thanks for reading! Thoughts are very much appreciated! **

**See ya'll for the next chapter! **


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Note: **Just for the record, I don't plan to abandon this story. I really would like to finish it. I know it's not getting done in a timely fashion (by any stretch of the imagination) but I'm really swamped. I wish I had more time for writing. Thanks for those who reviewed!

Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Neji's hair—I mean Naruto. Kishimoto owns them all. **

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**Chapter 11: Afternoon Conversations**

The last ray of light curtsied out of view, twilight coming to an end.

A small boy stood among a clump of trees. He was small, his body almost frail looking.

"Go and tell her. It's Yagura."

His voice was surprisingly authoritative for so young a boy.

His weapon poised an inch from a sandy haired genin, did help to make him more menacing.

The genin wiped the snot that was dripping from his mouth on his sleeve as he ran backwards, tripping and falling, fear finally propelling him forward with great speed in the direction of the village.

Night covered his amethyst eyes and his gray ash hair with her cloak. Darkness had swallowed him up.

As he vanished, the ground revealed a litter of the body of Shinobi.

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The silence in the room was deafening.

No one was looking at Naruto. Kakashi and Tsunade were focused soley on the Uchiha.

What was imperceptible about Sasuke when he'd first arrived was obvious with closer speculation.

He still had this tinge to his eyes which signaled a haze of unrest.

It was like everyone was collectively holding their breaths.

The light from the window touched Naruto's features, outlining the small smile on his face.

The smile gave the impression of a vase at the edge of a table, one small push and it would fall off.

Sasuke, impassive as a statue stood there with a look in his face that made it obvious that he had no desire to be cooperative in any way. His face was challenging, though there was a bit of fatigue present there as well.

"What the hell is going on Naruto?" Tsunade threw up her hands, his loud voice ripping the atmosphere. "And Sasuke."

"We're ready to go on that mission." Naruto repeated. The light of his smile didn't reach his eyes. "Remember you sent me to fetch Sasuke, and I got him." He glanced warily at Kakashi. "We did run into some trouble, but everything's fine now." Naruto looked back at the dubious look cast towards him by Kakashi, he added, "Sasuke wasn't feeling well. He's fine now, right Sasuke?"

Sasuke eyes were cold. It was like he wasn't even there. He didn't even acknowledge that he could hear Naruto speaking to him.

Tsunade looked to Kakashi, then back at Naruto. Her long nails grazed her forehead as she rested it there for a moment. "Okay—so you're telling me, you want me to send Sasuke and you on the mission I told you about?" Her exasperation turned to anger. She slammed her hand on her desk. The stubs holding the desk whined under the pressure of her fist. "Somebody explain what the hell is going on right now!"

Kakashi uncrossed his hands, and walked forward from where he was leaning. "I think what Naruto is telling you is he thinks it's a good idea for them to leave the village right now. He thinks a mission will help Sasuke." _Though I don't understand how you got Sasuke here, and under control. Or what it is you're planning. _

Tsunade ignored Kakashi. She faced Sasuke. "Uchiha! Didn't I warn you of what would happen if you even thought about starting trouble, and from the things I've heard it seems like you decided to give up hopes of having a future as a leaf shinobi! I'm the hokage and I can't continue to let you play on my leniency towards you in the past! I won't tolerate it. The Jonin we seek to nuture here are those with qualtities of loyalty, not shinobi who change as often as the seasons." Her emerald eyes were hard. Her light eyebrows furrowed deeply, bringing out the creases above her nose.

Naruto looked steadily at her, his face composed and determined.

It was obvious that when The Hokage got started—the rage now twisting her face so quickly—this wasn't going to end well for Sasuke.

"I don't care how much you suffered in the past. There comes a point when you have to learn not to behave like a child and realize that your actions have consequences, and it may not be fair or right, but the world doesn't care. People stop giving you breaks at some point! And you've exceeded the maximum number of allowances that can be given!" The blonde woman's expression was not one to trifle with. She breathed hard, the promise of violence singing in the atmosphere. A faint glow of chakra outlined her body as she channeled it outwards creating a dangerous aura.

Sasuke closed his eyes once and opened them with a languidness that was indicative of sarcasm. He didn't care.

"Baa-chan. Trust me." Naruto said softly. His features hard, his eyes forward without a blink. It was said warningly, pleadingly.

Sasuke stitched his eyebrows together as he felt her power washing over him.

"I have half the mind to punish you myself, here and now! And stop this nonsense." She took a powerful step.

Kakashi and Naruto simultaneously moved towards Sasuke.

The Uchiha, always making it a habit of his to go too far and damn the consequences, didn't show any concern for the repurcussions that his next words would have, speaking them carelessly with a nasty smirk.

"Oh as if you could. " He practically sneered. "Why don't you stop pretending that anything you say or do would make me give a damn-"

"Sasuke!" Naruto yelled. "Stop it-"

Sasuke continued. "I won't stand here and pretend that I've decided to play ninja peacefully with all of you and abandon my ambitions. But I'm here now, _aren't I_? Which means I've decided to follow your rules for now."

"Why?"

"Wouldn't you like to know."

It was obvious that in a milisecond the whole room would be destroyed from an explosion of pure chakra emitted by Tsunade, in the form of a punch if the course of the conversation didn't steer to calmer waters—and soon!

But The hokage relaxed, her chakra infused hand slowly released its energy and unclenched. She gave a lethal smile. "Sasuke, I have _never_ trusted you. There wasn't a single thing I did for your sake. Any leniency I've extended you wouldn't have been possible if it weren't for Naruto. I only did it _because of him_."

Kakashi interrupted. "Lady Hokage." He understood that she was railed up, but telling him outright that he didn't warant any sympathy wasn't going to help things.

"But—I trust Naruto." She turned to the blonde. "I leave Sasuke in your hands." She exhaled a breath. "One day you'll be hokage, I'll have to trust your judgement at some point. But you guys make this too messy or go on too long with it. I'll have to step in." She added as a warning.

Tsunade wasn't a fool, she knew it always ended up one way—the two of them fighting it out. As it stood, Naruto was the only person who could face Sasuke and insisting they stay within the village wasn't going to change things anyway. Whatever hunch that Naruto was going with, she was willing to trust it, in the hopes that it promised a better outcome.

Addressing Sasuke, she spoke. "I'm not going to promote you to anything. We don't have time for that, and I question if that is on the table for you now. But nonetheless your skills are up to jonin level, so I expect you to be able to handle this A-rank mission."

"Take these papers, it explains the details of your mission, I just drafted it. Get out of my sight now—all of you."

Sasuke left immediately, after a level glare at Tsunade.

Naruto issued a thank you before he exited as well. Kakashi paused for a moment before leaving too.

The Hokage threw herself back in her seat, wheeling around so she could look out the window.

"Good grief. I looking forward to retiring." She muttered.

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The sun shone on a patch of fushia hair, a hand poised like a visor over a delicate brow. Pink eyebrows furrowed, jade eyes teased by sunrays piercing the pupil, making it appear to be a watered down green color.

The smile was proud and not at all annoyed to be harassed by the oppressive heat that bullied the day.

"Sakura."

The girl turned around to meet the gaze of pearlescent eyes. A coat of surprise washed over her face, then a warm comfortable smile.

Neji.

"Hey, you. I almost thought you wouldn't show." Sakura gave an easy laugh.

"I apologize, I stopped by somewhere. I hope you weren't waiting too long."

"Oh nah, I was enjoying the weather. I missed this warmth, especially after the hosptial from my mission. It's no wonder there are so many sick there, sheesh. That place was fit only for a snowman."

Neji smiled a small knowning smile. "You seem a great deal happier than when you were assisting Ko."

She assented with a slow blink. She'd kept busy and that made a difference.

"How about we grab some tea over there." Neji pointed to hot beverages shop to their right.

"Do you think they have that sickly sweet tea that Shikamaru served us when we played Shogi with him?"

"I thought you had a dislike for it? I distinctly remember a girl who was pouring it down a plant pot when Nara's back was turned."

"God, don't bring that up! I thought I was going into a coma from that taste." Sakura scrunched up her forehead. "It gives me shivers just thinking about it! But I can't help it, somehow it's grown on me." She gave a shrug. "You could say I'm addicted to it already, which is funny considering now how much I hated it at first."

Neji set his bag down, they had walked over to the shop and sat down at the tables there. Sakura lowered herself into a seat opposite him.

"I don't think I'll ever get use to this behavior of yours. Are you always this inconsistent?"

There was a gentle teasing tone to his words.

"Ha, whatever." She scoffed. But then in a easier tone she remarked, "like you Neji, you're not so bad once I've gotten to know you."

Neji laughed, it was clear and musical.

They had graduated from near strangers to good friends.

Sakura stuck her tongue at him when he turned his head to pick up the menu that had dropped on the floor.

The long brunette-haired man had made a mock annoyed look on his face. "Please Sakura try to be serious, otherwise I might change my mind about what I'm about to propose to you. "

Sakura's ears perked up at his words. "What is it?"

"But first things first, shouldn't we get some breakfast? Have you had some already?"

"Oh—uh no."

"Great. I'll order." He stood up and left the table.

Sakura examined the calluses on her hands. She had been working hard these past days.

She couldn't put her mind on it, but Neji was right. She stretched her arms out, groaning like a cat, a satisfied smile tugging at her lips.

She felt happier, lighter, as if some unknown burden had left her shoulders.

She had decided she hated feeling like she had no place, working to better herself left no time for anything else. Her hands on her cheeks, she glanced at the counter, waiting for Neji to return. His long brown ponytail swung in the breeze that wafted through the shop. He was standing waiting for the server to notice him. The place was packed today.

Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, she realized that she was glad to have a friend in Hinata's cousin. He'd seemed arrogant to her at first, and though she didn't want to admit it, when she had first seen him as a genin, she felt a stab of jealousy at the intelligence she could perceive from him.

Sure, she was no pushover when it came to book smarts, but he held a kind of practical knowledge she wished she could emulate.

He seemed wiser than his years and moved with a kind of grace. It was the type of presence she couldn't hold a candle to.

Now that he was her friend, she began to notice the negative impressions she had of him were unfounded.

Thinking of first impressions she recalled Rock Lee, he was also a person who turned out to be a good comrade, despite how they'd met.

She almost forgot people outside of team 7 existed. She spent so much of her time obsessing over a certain two boys, that she'd made all other acquaintances into background music.

Her hands squeezed tighter at the thought of her two teammates. She realized with a jerk that this was the first time she thought of them in a week.

A grim smile brushed her face. After her confession, she had been so sick of being in that of comparing herself to them all the time. She demanded missions and worked herself to the point of exhaustion.

Sure, it wasn't healthy, but it gave her time to get over the fresh wound from Sasuke's rejection.

She realized how much anxiety her two best friends had caused her. It was only being away from them that she felt the difference. She loved them dearly of course.

But pain made her take a step back. She hadn't even seen Naruto for these past days.

Nor had she thought of _him;_ it was like breathing fresh air after inhaling toxic fumes for so long.

The fumes may have made her sway; capturing her heart, but lucidity was much more appealing if she could admit it to herself. Because the only way to stop being stupid around the Raven was to not be around him at all.

She couldn't seperate herself permanently from him, he'd always be in her life, no doubt about that. But it was also nice to be around people she could thrive with.

People that didn't constantly make her feel like she was worthless. In Naruto's case, he didn't do it intentionally but the affect remained, with Sas..

Her heart clenched. Right, of course. She wasn't so cool and passed it all. Just saying his name in her head brought everything back and gave her the impulse of shooting herself out of a canon so she could rocket towards him and land at his feet in an instant.

Somehow in her mind, just when she thought she'd acquired strength to have the dignity enough to stop wanting someone who treated her like trash, she seemed to revert back in a matter of seconds as old feelings pooled inside her. Hanging out with Neji made her think she could channel his strength.

"I guess not.." She breathed, the light fading from her face.

"What do you guess?" Neji asked, placing a plate and mug in front of her. "What happened? You're doing that thing with your face again." He frowned, taking in a sweep of their surroundings with his peircing eyes.

"What did you want to ask me?" Sakura said changing the subject.

Neji observed her for a moment, then let it past. "Hm. Well I wanted to ask if you could join my squad. Our medic is going to be gone on maternity leave in a couple of months, and has she's decided to cease her involvement in missions soon. She asked to leave our squad awhile ago actually, and we've needed a replacement for some time."

Sakura's eyes widened. "Are you talking about Roka? I had no idea she was pregnant. She's so young!"

Neji looked amused. "Well, she is older by a couple of years, though not that much more then you and I, I'll admit. So what do you say? Are you perhaps interested? Even a little? Or do I have to bribe you with saccharine beverages?"

"That's—I mean, are you sure I'd be allowed to?" Sakura tried to smile at his words.

A frown. "Of course, why wouldn't you?"

"Our levels aren't—I mean I don't know if I could do it." Sakura mumbled.

Neji took a bite out of his food, watching Sakura poke her dish with her chopsticks and spin them around her plate.

He swallowed. "I recommend you, and I'm asking as a comrade for your help. I need someone I can trust, someone I can depend on."

The words seemed too good to be true. Neji, the number meticulous perfectionist thought she was dependable? She made so many mistakes, he didn't seem like someone who'd tolerate that.

"I think we did well today." He was referring to earlier when she'd returned from her mission and Tsunade threw them together to get some tasks done. They had surprisingly been efficient.

"Yeah, but are you sure? I confess, I'm excited to, I've been going solo on missions, except for this last one, but you think we could work together?"

"I have no doubt about that." His words were unwavering.

A real smile bloomed on Sakura's face. The words sinking in, a new excitement bloomed.

"Well hell, then count me in!" She pumped her fist in the air. "Cha!"

He blinked and then laughed again. Then gestured with his hands at their meal.

Sakura dug in with particular gusto due to her good mood. An amused Neji raised his eyebrows as he poslished off his own portion but in a manner daintier then she could manage.

He was so refined. She was a tomboy.

But she felt too good about herself to care. She honestly wanted to work with him. It was Neji, after all. She liked him for the simple fact that he was someone who she couldn't fall in love with. Plus, she could actually think clearly around him.

As the minutes rolled by, they had moved to discussing a case Sakura was assigned to. Neji provided an interesting perspective even though he wasn't a medical ninja, being a byukugan user, it was important for him to learn about the organs his gentle fist affected, so he was well-versed. It was her habit to pick his brain, the tutors he must have in the Hyuuga household.

"Hey, Sakura!" A voice called out. It was high-pitched.

They had finished eating, and were sipping their teas calmly.

A healthy mess of papers spread around them.

Neji had been reading a legal document drawn up by one of his clan members, which he'd need to present to the Hokage.

Sakura was making rough sketches of ingredients she'd need to pick up, a kind of to-do-list. Neither of them rushing to go back into the scorching heat. The cool shade of the shop kept them there a bit longer than intended.

When they both looked up they saw it was Ino.

"Hey forehead, what are you up to? The Yamanaka girl called out playfully. She stood waving to them from the entrance of the shop, out in the street.

Sakura didn't know why, but her stomach churned uncomfortably at her old friend's presence. Ino's wheat-blonde hair swinging as she ran over to join them.

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"They're sending who?" The Mizukage cocked her head to the side, as Ai read the reply he'd just received from the Hokage.

"Sasuke of the Uchiha Clan and Naruto, their jinchuuriki."

"Hmm." She rested her interlaced fingers on her chin. A long red strand falling over her eyes, she flicked it back with her long nails.

Her right hand man was quick to protest. "Ma'am, you should know that with all of this going on the last thing we need is a guy whose loyalty is dubious at best." Ao gestured his skepticism with wild swings of his arms. "I don't care how good he might be, the last thing we need is him causing trouble here."

"I doubt the Hokage would send someone she couldn't trust." Mei countered. A gleam in her eye indicated the gears in her mind were turning swiftly behind her pupils.

Ao acted tough and masculine in front of his fellow ninja, but when he was alone with the Mizukage, he could get petulant like a little girl who got a stain on her new dress. He started to show that side of him now. "I would have to work with him! There's something I don't like, and it's not just hs reputation!" He stressed his lips wide determined to continue this thread of conversation. "It would not be a good idea!" He screeched.

Something finally clicked in her mind. The Mizukage appeared to not have even heard him. "Sasuke Uchiha." She said again, her pink lips turning up.

"I was thinking of getting something beautiful for my office. He'll be perfect." She drawled, Ao's smile shattered to the ground as it fell off him.

"W-What?! That would be the worst arrangement ever! Ma'am, Lady Mizukage, c-call Chojuro he'd agree with me. He would say we should avoid using him! The heart of our village would be broken, he'll burn it from the inside out, Uchiha's are bad news!"

The Mizukage's mouth twitched as her mind dissected his words.

"Ao?"

"Yes!"

She had pulled him by the collar and smiled lethally into his eyes. "Shut up—or I'll kill you."

"Huh?—Ahhh!"

He ran from her office, saying he had something to do that he'd forgotten.

She leaned back in her seat, drawing her shoulders up. She massaged her neck with her hand to relieve the tension knotted it.

She stretched her long legs out on the table, crossing them.

Morning would certainly bring some surprises. She was prepared to meet it head on.

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If you guys ever see the name 'Ai' in present time. Just know I meant to put 'Ao.' I went through this chapter and changed it-but in case it comes up later.

I really do feel bad for my readers. I've yet to give my own story a proper run-through before posting. Sigh. I'm sure there are still some really weird errors. If you guys spot them-please do point them out! I don't mind people critiquing my grammar etc or adding suggestions.

I'll like to think I'm proficient enough as a writer to know what I'm doing, but It makes me pay attention when people burn me for errors. (Although technically the errors are there cause I don't have time to proof read.)

I guess I need a beta! *Hint Hint*

Haha! Honestly, I wouldn't read my own story.

You readers are the best! :) So much patience!


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: **Naruto characters and story is owned by Masashi Kishimoto. I don't make any profit off it.**

**Author's note: **I don't know how many readers who first discovered this story as I began it, are still with me, but a nod to you guys who kept reading, but either way, you'd figured out I churn out short chapters like these, and it takes me forever to get to the point, so this story obviously has many more chapters in it's future.(unless I get productive with my next chapters and make them really long, which is an ongoing plan) I had hoped not to extend past 20, but you know what, I love long stories. For those of you who are turned off by that, no worries, I really don't think it'll reach 30. But If you hate that sort of thing, feel free to unfollow this story. Just a warning for you guys! Okay! Enough of my rambling! Read on!

**Unbeta'd**

**Updated IMPORTANT: **I know we can't all be mature, but I know some of us try. Seriously, I just got a message that told me to kill myself-because of something that happened in a _fictional story. _That being said, don't jump to conclusions readers, all is well, and **the person you think 'dies' in this chapter-doesn't. In fact,** things aren't at all what they seem. I guess I'm just shocked, seriously, that someone doesn't know the point of suspense and sometimes writers making it seem like things happened-which might be untrue later. Regardless, there is a way to be a critical reviewer without such comments.

Yeesh...

Chapter 12**\- Trust, but verify**

The sun glared at Sasuke Uchiha as he strolled down Konoha with his hands in his pocket. He wore a chunin vest. The Hokage had told him that technically he wasn't promoted since he had not taken the chunin exams, but she was a fool if she would look like an idiot to Kirigakure by letting them know she was sending a genin, albeit, a deadly and powerful one.

When the council had protested and made a huge fuss, declaring that she was throwing their precious traditions out the window with her flippant attitude. She had cited an incident during the Second Hokage's time, where scores of chunin were promoted to Jonin without formally taking an exam.

It had been during a time of war, and the Shinobi had been exceptionally talent, there was no question they would've easily made Jonin, so formalities were bent to create an even number of Jonin squad leaders.

Tsunade approached it from a direction she felt they could understand, asking them hotly if they wanted to risk being seen as disrespectful, especially after just recently engaging in a pleasant relationship with Kirigakure? Would they have her do that? Should they act in a rude and insulting manner, after Kirigakure had gone as far as asked for their aid?

No, she didn't think so.

That closed that discussion.

0000

Kakashi had grabbed Naruto by the elbow as he ran to catch up with Sasuke.

Naruto gave a small blink of surprise as he was pulled into a corner of the hallway of the Hokage tower.

The look Kakashi wore was stern. The fluorescent lights made his silver hair gleam dangerously.

"What did you give up, Naruto?" He asked without preamble. "I assume you made some deal with Sasuke so he'd agree to go. Given the state he's in, I doubt he'd acquiesce so easily."

Naruto pulled his hand away. He straightened his jacket. "Don't worry Kakashi-sensei. It'll be fine." He started to walk away.

Kakashi cleared his voice. "I never agreed with you that you should fight Sasuke and give up on your dream of being Hokage."

Naruto froze, he turned back. "Excuse me?"

if Kakashi wasn't mistaken, there was gleam in his eye that was reminiscent of a child being caught with their hand in the cookie jar. Naruto looked undoubtedly guilty.

He continued as if he hadn't noticed. "The day we met with Sasuke after he'd killed Danzo, you said you would fight him, I told you to focus on your dream, but you answered that a person who couldn't save one friend, wasn't worthy of being Hokage."

"Yeah, I did say that. What of it?" Naruto had composed himself now, but there was something beneath the depth of his eyes.

The light bulb went off in the Jonin's head.

"So that's what it is." Kakashi's grey eye fixed on the blonde. "You're giving up your dream—for Sasuke, once again. How long is this going to go on?" The disappointment was clear in his eyes, and the sorrow of such an idea.

Naruto looked adamant. Kakashi rephrased it another way.

"How long are you going to put your life on hold to help someone who may not be worth it in the end?"

"It's not." Naruto said through clench teeth. "Sasuke is worth it. My comrades are worth it."

Kakashi bit back a sigh from his lips. "It's my job as your sensei to fix things, if you would just let me handle him."

"Thank you, but you don't have to do anything. Relax, I've got it." Naruto gave a small grin as he turned away.

His footsteps froze as he heard Kakashi's words floating up to his ears before he turned the corner.

"To keep Sasuke from extinguishing such a worthy flame—I'd die."

The Jonin's voce was earnest. It reverberated through Naruto, hitting the bulls eye of his heart dead on.

Naruto exited the Hokage tower, his eyes downcast as he tried to recalibrate his feelings.

He squinted his eyes in the piercing sunlight; he could see Sasuke off in the distance, walking ahead of him.

Whether the Uchiha was aware of his presence didn't manifest in his form, he just walked ahead in slow strides, not in a hurry and without any desire to get away from his comrade behind him.

There was a film of sadness in Naruto's eyes. Kakashi's words had made him feel somewhat depressed. Instead of a grateful, warm feeling washing over him, he felt cold when he recalled the tone of sincerity.

It was the feeling one felt when they had avoided a storm that held another in its captivity.

Pity?

No.

He could see how Sasuke had taken offense, and he felt awkward for him. Is this what he'd been seeing all along? A cold piercing ice to the heart, as his friend longed for his sensei's affection in the place of a father figure, unconsciously or not, which he enjoyed fully.

Naruto felt he was holding his hand up for his comrade, and Sasuke kept not only getting further, but colder and colder, as well as more distance from others.

Was it stupid to get insecure over something like that? To cringe inwardly and with pain for a friend's continued isolation from others.

Naruto who had been in the shade of loneliness for so long, couldn't stand watching his friend remain there.

For half of his life he craved being accepted, and but now that it had finally happened, was he to be ashamed of it? Because it made his closest friend feel unwanted?

He stared ahead.

The standard black pants with long dark sleeves, and the green vest, through his restless thoughts, a tiny smile crept into his lips at the sight.

To see his friend wearing those clothes, that uniform. It made him feel that perhaps his sufferings were not for nothing.

How could he regret his decision? He couldn't see Sasuke's face, and it was obvious he sure as hell couldn't see into his heart, but there was a part of him that could feel that this small thing had served as a tiny light in the dark depths of Sasuke's soul.

Sasuke was a pulsing mass of darkness, growing darker with each second, but was there even a prick of light inside him?

Naruto would stare resolutely at that nearly nonexistent light, keeping his eyes trained on it until it grew from his sheer force of will.

Getting Sasuke to take on a mission was the right thing to do. He had made the correct decision.

For his comrades, he'd give up everything if he had to.

A smile turned slightly grim. Perhaps that was the trademark of a fool, sacrificing himself to make others happy when they hadn't requested it. When the very person he kept swearing to save, never acted like it mattered.

Still, this was someone he'd called a comrade, someone he'd shared treasured memories with—perhaps it was just human nature to be 'this stupid.'

If being stupid was giving up _something_ you care about, so _someone_ you care about could have a chance at a better life. Well, that was a stupid he could live with.

He couldn't be perfect.

000

Kakashi leaned his head back against the wall. He thought of Minato-sensei.

The man whose son he was in charge of now.

Well, that wasn't correct. It was more like Naruto had protected him more times than he could count.

"I guess being surpassed was just a matter of time, Minato-sensei." He breathed to the empty hallway.

His younger days were blown away by the wind, spent in a struggle to overcome some pain, regret in every bend and turn of his life.

Kakashi had single-mindedly admired his own sensei's skill—paying attention to little else. It wasn't until these recent years that he had taken care to heed any of the subtle lesson's the Yondaime had layed out for him.

Destiny had settled him with Naruto. He hadn't missed the greatest legacy the Yondaime had left.

Because life repeated the lesson twice, just because he wasn't paying attention the first time; Wisdom in the form of eager blue eyes and tuffs of golden hair, courage in a word and gesture of the hand.

_Naruto. _

Minato had been a tree he'd sat in the shade of. He just hadn't realized it.

And Obito…

Was it a mere coincidence that the two most prominent figures of his life were reoccurring once again? Featuring so prominently in his life?

A Shinobi with the will of fire ingrained in him, and an Uchiha.

What lessons did life have in store for him this time around? Maybe he shouldn't stand around waiting to be hit over the head with them, but to step up and go at them.

And what of Sasuke? He didn't want to think of what would happen if he were to fail here, being a sensei had taught him to open his heart and leave the world of darkness ushered in by his former Anbu position behind.

Minato-sensei had done that for him.

These people here, couldn't—he wouldn't let them end up like the tragic figures from his past which he had failed to do anything for.

His father, his friend, and then his sensei.

Not Naruto too.

Not this boy who had done so much and who had worked so hard.

Kakashi clenched his hands painfully, the blue of his veins sticking out. He was too invested this time; he wouldn't allow his comrades to die, especially if he could prevent it in some way.

Not when he was a different man. This second war had made him a better man.

A greater man, but a man with more to lose.

Kakashi could hardly pinpoint when the blonde kid had caught his heart and held it ensnared in his palm. But it had happened—as it did with Tsunade, as it did with Gaara, and Neji. As it did for all the lives Naruto had touched and changed.

A light like that couldn't be risked being taken away from the world.

Not even by a precious last surviving Uchiha.

He wouldn't allow it.

000

Ino's smile was almost leering. She had that look that Sakura had recognized from their childhood, when the white-blonde haired girl had discovered some closely guarded secret. And now she looked like she stumbled upon some very juicy bit of information, one that she would enjoying playing a cat and mouse game with.

Sakura ignored the way her stomach fluttered fretfully. She didn't have anything to explain or feel embarrassed about.

"Oh hey, Ino." She smiled, giving a neutral look she reserved for nervous patients, to avoid feeding their panic but at the same time guarding against giving them hope.

"I'm shocked you're spending your precious time in between missions with boring Neji—oh, no offense to you. " Ino added thoughtfully.

Neji didn't make a comment, or change his expression in any way. He looked down at his papers.

Sakura bit her lip, almost tired of the childish games she always ended up playing with Ino. "We had things to discuss, and we work together every now and then. I actually find him to more sane than the other friends I have." Sakura broke into a smile halfway, as her voice became teasing.

"Whatever, what'd you guys have? I'm starving." Ino looked around her at the few customers left. Her eyes fixing hungrily on a plate behind them. She turned to Neji's empty plate. "What'd you have? Besides the tea?"

"Why?" Neji stated evenly.

"I don't know what I should get."

"Then I fail to see how my choice should help you decide what your own preference should be."

"You're infuriating, did anyone tell you that?" Ino narrowed her light blue eyes, as a white blonde strand brushed across her cheek. "I'm glad we were never in any team together. I don't even see how you work with Sakura. She has patience, I'll give the girl that much. Yeesh."

"Sakura's an exceptional partner, and I do agree we'd never work well together, you and me." Neji stated matter-of-factly.

"Hey, you don't see any argument from me there." Ino held up her hands.

Sakura smiled. She felt comforted by Ino's brass tones, and ability to sound carefree. Hm. Kinda like Naruto.

Sakura interrupted them. "What have you been doing, Ino?" She kept the beam off her face at Neji's positive evaluation of her. "How have you been holding up?"

Ino looked at Sakura suspiciously at the subject change, but then brushed it off. Her eyes seemed to become more serious."I never felt so grateful to have Shikamaru in my life before." She remarked, appreciation leaking from her voice.

"And Choji for that matter. I've been training with them, they're really helping me improve. And our team is doing so much better" She sighed, her elbow on the table. "They're like brothers you can't get rid of." She smiled, her gaze a bit off in the distance. "Family is a good thing." A few seconds later, her eyes snapped back. "I'll tell you something else more interesting if you order for me." Her eyes held a pleading look, Sakura laughed.

"Yeah, yeah." She pushed off her seat. "Just don't complain when you don't like it."

"You're a doll Sakura!" Ino called out. She turned back to Neji. "My limbs are killing me. I think Shikamaru 's a slave driver, he learned that from Asuma—the lazy bastard."

Their eyes locked somberly at the mention of Asuma's name. Neji nodded understandingly.

The pink haired medic nin, blew out a breath, the abating heat still resulting in streaks of sweat on her face. She pushed her short hair up and fanned herself. She sat by the counter waiting, glancing back at their table once or twice.

Neji was thumming through some papers, and Ino was saying something to which he listened to with a nod. Hm, he could get along with anyone, she mused. At least he could be civil and he didn't make someone feel insignificant. He'd changed nicely, or perhaps it was always there. Sakura's green eyes locked on Neji's face. She knew the scars of pain that were behind his hitae-at.

The long haired brunette lifted his eyes, they locked on Sakura.

She waved with a smile and indicated the order was almost ready.

Neji gave her an acknowledging smile, but held her gaze long after the smile had turned into a look of small concentration. A moment later he turned back to his companion.

Sakura was glad for the distraction of the food arriving. She took it with both hands.

A gloom seemed to settle over the atmosphere. Was it just her mind? Dark clouds of rain were threatening on the sunny afternoon. A cloud passed over the sun.

She had turned to look out into the horizon, when dark shoes and figure walked by slowly. Sakura had almost reached the table, but her feet froze, and her hands shook, slightly.

It was Sasuke. He was dressed in a green vest, chunin issue. He had the beautiful, dark brooding look down pat. It was striking , always. The way his eyes were kohled with dissatisfaction.

Attractive, smart, deadly-powerful.

Always.

Sakura was held by the sway of her weakness.

She hadn't layed eyes on his since that night she'd confessed. And she could see immediately that he wasn't the same guy as back then. Something had happened.

In a matter of moments, Sakura could see the pattern unfolding again. She was captivated by her need to protect him, to drive the demons from his cursed body and receive his love.

Calling his name sweetly was the first step. She bit her lip down to stop herself.

Would she run to him, get involved in whatever had happened to make him this way again? Drop everything in her life and run to him? Again? Again?

Her foot took a step, her eyes opened slowly, her mouth parted.

She felt a hopeful surge when his face almost turned in her direction.

And then she thought of Neji. The helpful guide she had recently. The guy who'd praised her, someone who valued her for skill and never talk to her in a derogatory way.

The presence of Sasuke was captivating as she stood holding the tray in her hands. He wasn't the moon, she thought. He was the darkness surrounding it.

Even from here, she could feel the despair and agony melting off his skin, scents which couldn't help but rub off on her.

He didn't ask her to care, but she'd never been able to help it.

Did she ever make a difference in his eyes? Why would she drag herself through that again when she'd just be taken down with him, and he'd never acknowledge her.

What she needed, she knew was to stand back, wait for him to fix himself. Because bumbling into it didn't improve either of their lives.

She could trust and care for a comrade, but did she have to walk with him into the forest, on a path darker then her life was supposed to take?

Sakura knew one thing, one single feeling that pervaded through her strong desire to call out to him, to run to him and try to fix him—how awful t_hat_ feeling was.

Chasing after him, worrying about him, dipping herself into his pain and being torn up over it.

She willed her feet to carry her forward. Her eyes locked on him pleading her to notice him.

Her heart scarred too much, hoping for this moment to pass. For the thing that always caused her pain to be gone.

The disease or the medicine? She had to make her choice.

It was a simple choice. It's always a simple choice, she just never realized it. She just never saw it that way.

She closed her eyes, had finally reached the table. It was the longest marathon of her life.

Neji held his tea cup in his hands, sipping calmly. His eyes did flicker to Sakura as he'd detected a slight change in mood. And normally, he'd be silent but his mouth instinctively voiced his thoughts.

"What's the matter?"

She opened her eyes, flushing with memories of the new world she'd entered these past week, a clarity granted only by her great heartbreak. She had had no choice but to not think of Sasuke, and after the painful attempts, it had gotten easier, slowly but it'd happened.

The thrill of his dangerous beauty and sufferings were not as captivating as the thrill of being free of it all.

The thrill of standing on her own feet, and in the company of those who didn't treat her like trash.

Her jade eyes were resolute.

"I'm great."

Ino had her head on the table and had fallen asleep.

"Neji?" Sakura said suddenly. "I think I'll accept your position as medic on your squad."

Neji's pearlescent eyes studied Sakura's determined face. There wasn't an ounce of wavering confidence. "No." He said, dropping his gaze. "I've changed my mind. I don't think it would benefit me for you to be on my squad as a temporary medic replacement."

Sakura's heart sank, but she pursed her lips against the pain. _Just when I want to change. Dammit not now of all times._ Her thoughts were buzzing.

She hadn't completely won against the temptation that was Sasuke. _But-but why was everyone an asshole like him?! Why was Neji saying this? Just when she'd thought she found one guy who did respect her enough not to bring her down, make her feel like she was inferior. _

Screw it.

Sakura got up. The table shook at her force. She felt the urge to punch something—hard.

She felt like she would just die from all the pressure around her. Why couldn't the world give her a break. She felt like friggin glass right now. She didn't want to break.

Neji looked genuinely surprised at the anger that rolled off her. "Where are you going?"

"Well, you just said that I wouldn't be worth being on your squad. So I don't care to stay here. Why'd you even bother asking if you were going to be like that and change your mind."

Neji regarded her slowly.

"Not that I cared at all in the first place." She added haughtily. Her fists clenching.

"I was just saying that I don't think you'd be good for that job, because I have a better one for you."

Sakura blinked, her legs gave out and she resumed her seat.

She blushed a bit. Great, Sasuke had made her act like a fool in front of Neji. She still had a habit of jumping to conclusions.

"I apologize for the way I phrased it. Are you okay?" Neji asked, concerned. "I have to keep reminding myself…" He shook his head. "Are you ready to listen, Sakura?"

She was nodding sheepishly. "I should say sorry."

Neji's face softened. A smile cracking there. "I think I feared for my life for a second. The amount of chakra you gathered in your fist..well.."

Sakura looked apologetic and embarrassed.

Neji chuckled softly to himself as he remembered how quickly she'd caught him off guard.

"What is it?" Sakura asked curiously, her eyes scanning his amused his features with a grin on her face.

Neji added, softer, with a quirk of his eyebrow. "I almost activated my byakugan.

Sakura's peal of laughter rang out.

A dark haired boy across the street turned away.

000

Night had fallen.

Sasuke picked the fallen kunai off the ground.

Skin like moonlight, eyes with hell's embers burning, stoked by his decisions.

The path before him was tunneling and growing more and more narrow, a blot of ink widening before his view, changing into a chasm of darkness.

He could feel the anger and negative feelings brushing at the centerfold of his mind. His heart sinking into a vortex he'd created with his actions.

Fuck it. He didn't care.

The mind believes the words the thoughts repeat; _I don't care,_ a mantra he'd repeated to himself.

Sasuke wiped the blood off the kunai, then he pocketed it.

Sasuke hands jerked. He turned on his heel, his obsidian eyes focused strongly on a single point. Cerulean orbs stared back without the slightest tremor in them.

He'd emerged from the alley, to find Naruto standing there. "I shouldn't be surprised that you'd be following me."

It was that defiant, unapologetic look which was crept under Sasuke's skin.

There was always a heavy amount of concern burning up in them.

"I'm think I like Konoha a little better now." He didn't have to say it, but he felt like being nasty, compassion towards him always brought that out of him.

Naruto came closer to Sasuke, without breaking his gaze even once.

Sasuke gave a mocking look. It was the look he'd given Naruto as gratitude over the years for all the trouble the blonde had gone through for him. It was a look that pretended the whiskered boy was simply expendable, just another face in the crowd.

A growl escape Naruto's mouth. "What the hell are you doing Sasuke!"

"Oh, so you did notice."

"I'm not stupid!" Naruto's voice cracked angrily.

Sasuke didn't make a comment. He just gave a smirk.

"Will you follow me into the darkness to find out?" Sasuke gestured behind him, although it was unnecessary. The stench of blood was unmistakable.

Naruto walked forward with heavy feet. He looked down at the body, his eyes overcast with agony. "Why?!" His voice was like a stone scratching the pavement.

"Because I don't like her." Sasuke said mildly. An insane quirk to his mouth. "And you're not going to do anything about it, right Naruto?"

With a laugh, Sasuke walked away.

"See you for our mission tomorrow."

* * *

**NOTE: I'll saying it again, please don't jump to conclusions in this chapter no one dies..Not Sakura at least!**

**Authors Note**: Lovely readers, rain your thoughts upon me! I'd like to get in your heads and see what to tweak if need be for upcoming chapters that I write. Let me know what gets under your skin or what puts a smile on your face. The unique thing about fanfiction is you get readers imput as you craft your story and sometimes that changes or adds major things.

**Review**! I won't hold the story hostage for a review, but I'd appreciate it! :)

Next chapter will be much longer than this, FYI.


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto, or any of it's characters. They are owned by Masashi Kishimoto. Nor do I make any profit from this. I'm just writing for fun.

**Author's note**: Sorry for the long wait for this chapter. I was busy, then when I got 'unbusy' I had writer's block! I'm truthfully not over it..ugh..but your reviews might help! ***hint hint***

Chapter 13-** Kakashi's Dilemma  
**

Hyuuga Hiashi stared down at the pink-haired girl.

He seemed twice as large as she remembered him. His chest was revealed through the kimono he wore, his muscles stretched across his chest hinting at the strength underneath, giving him a more menacing look.

"Thanks to you Ko is doing much better. I extend my gratitude for your efforts."

Sakura felt like a mouse next to this guy, but she drew herself up as tall as she could, without the effort being obvious, and smiled amicably.

Hiashi's eyes drifted to his nephew for a brief second. Neji looked back impassively, but his mouth was set firmly.

Hiashi nodded silently to himself before he addressed the kunoichi. "Neji recommended you as a medic for the hyuuga clan." He stated without preamble. A look of surprise bloomed on Sakura's features, and she fought the urge to look at Neji.

She knew what a great honor such a consideration would mean, and whether the thought of it gave her knots in her stomach she made sure not to look away from Lord Hiashi's penetrating gaze.

If Sakura wanted to stay away from stress or tasking situations, she wouldn't have devoted her life to studying the ninja arts. It was ridiculous to consider working as anything for the hyuuga clan, the thought of it felt overwhelming to her, but the thought of the challenge made her feel warm, as well as the recommendation.

"Yes, sir."

Hiashi's eyes wrinkled in amusement at the resolute gaze of the small figured girl. He had learned in his vast experience as a shinobi and clan leader, not to underestimate even the most fragile seeming individual or to casually overlook a woman. His wife had taught him that much.

Still, it was a bit funny to think of this pink-haired girl becoming the medic for the members of his clan, those big burly men who could crush this flower in their palm. Hiashi was aware that this girl had studied under lady Tsunade, and heard her strength was not only comparable, but presumably surpassed the Godaime's.

"I'm sorry but we don't employ medics who aren't of the hyuuga lineage or at the very least a part of a family clan that we work closely with."

Sakura frowned. "Oh, I see."

Neji spoke up. "I think that could be overlooked. Lord Hiashi, Sakura is exceptionally talented, and it's only a matter of time before her skills land her as one of the top ranking medics in the land of fire, if not beyond. The hyuuga clan should seize this moment of opportunity to recruit the Godiame's student while we have the chance." Neji gave a smirk as Sakura waited with bated breath.

"She is Naruto Uzumaki's teammate and friend, I believe." Hiashi mused as if Neji hadn't spoken. "That merits more in my book. The company people keep is a measure of their character. Because I've seen exceptional Shinobi whose skill become useless as they become corrupt. The reason we employ hyuuga is because as one of the family, it's easier to control them."

Sakura felt a lump in her throat form. She knew he didn't mean 'control' in the sense the main branch had controlled the side branch, by branding a curse mark on their forehead.

She could comprehend the gist of it, the politics of maintaining a clan. Sometimes the right and wrong lines blurred for the superior clans, and she if she was honest with herself, being involved with that sort of thing is what made her nervous.

Hiashi ran his hand across his chin, the look in Neji's eyes intriguing him. "I can see my nephew is very keen about this, so out of respect I won't decline right away. I will give it some thought. "

Sakura watched the retreating figure of Lord Hiashi with a some warmth in her cheeks. His presence was overwhelming for a man with such a calm demeanor. She felt gratitude at Neji for giving her this moment, where she felt she could be useful to someone, and that they would care.

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* * *

The woman in the alley was crumpled like a rug and her gray hair and white robes were unmistakable.

"How?" Naruto's voice crooked, there was confusion and incredulity there, but more than anything else, there was anger pulsing in the depths of his voice.

Sasuke's footsteps stopped just behind him.

Naruto felt like a balloon that someone had pierced all the air from, his arm with all its strength was at his side in hopelessness.

"Don't act like for a second, you didn't see this coming. Naruto." Sasuke stated in a tone that plunged the blonde Shinobi's heart into an ice bath. "The council are all as good as dead. They deserve it. You know that, of all people."

Naruto turned to glare at Sasuke. "There are other ways of doing things, punishing people for the crimes they commit that don't involve _killing them!_"

He was shouting. "You think killing is an easy thing! Even Shinobi—even you Sasuke must feel something with your hands tainted in someone else's blood. It's dirty! And disgusting! And no matter how much I've tried to keep you away from it, you won't listen! I didn't want this for you!"

"You should have figured that out long ago, there is no straight path for me." Sasuke had the dust of moonlight on his cheekbones, giving him a skeletal look.

A surge of chakra made the Uchiha twitch his muscles involuntarily. It wasn't a large conglomeration of power being summoned up, it felt gentle and sharp, like an arrow. It made the surrounding atmosphere warmer, having a soothing effect. It folded with the natural elements in the air, becoming indistinguishable in the process.

Sasuke was sure that Naruto was going to break down in a fit of anger or a fit of depression, which is why he'd tried to overwhelm him with the knowledge that he was beyond saving, ever.

He could almost feel Naruto's spirit, crushed with the sadness that his eyes held a moment before, when he'd seen what Sasuke had done.

But now, in the course of a mere minute, something had changed, after he exhaled the breath of his last words, his face assembled itself into a meditative peaceful mask. His eyes closed momentarily and then opened, resolutely.

Sasuke stepped away from Naruto and turned to leave, but the wave of that feeling that washed over him, had given him pause.

Naruto had his head inclined to the side, his blue eye caught and held the red whirl of sharingan without an ounce of fear in them.

It was this look that made Sasuke shiver, inwardly.

It doubled his hate and the power that curled inside the Uchiha turned like a snake.

There was something nasty and inhumane that was brought out of him, in reaction to Naruto.

It was ironic that the light that Naruto reached with others, grazed but never penetrated Sasuke's core.

Sasuke's hands clenched angrily. His calm, cold demeanor slowly abating at the sureness, and solidity in Naruto eyes.

What was he so certain about? What could someone hold inside them that made them so sure no matter what they were hit with?

Jealously, as hot and consuming as fire boiled in his veins.

Naruto now stood facing him, his body turned, his eyes lined with orange shadow. "I released one of my clones ready." He explained.

The notion of a calm Naruto, one that made plans and executed them with precision, one that held his presence with ferocity winking behind his eyes, and regarded Sasuke as if he was privy to some secret that Sasuke could never grasp, was enough to make him snap.

In an instant, Sasuke's lips drew back in an ugly smirk as his mind savored the image of gutting Naruto and wiping that look from his face.

He wanted to see the look of desperation as his heart was plunged into and ripped from his body.

Sasuke Uchiha would kill anyone who tried to kill Naruto, that pleasure was his alone.

And he'd get his chance.

When the wind's song ended and the trees dancing ceased, the two high level Shinobi were still facing each other.

Taking part in a conversation one couldn't hear with the naked ear.

The world seemed to shift and blur for a moment.

When Naruto blinked the old woman's form had changed. She looked different. Younger.

She looked like…

Naruto narrowed his eyes. He turned away from the body of the pink haired girl lying on the ground.

"Sasuke." He growled.

The Raven gave a contemptuous look in Naruto's direction.

Genjutsu or no Genjutsu, this wasn't funny.

Naruto's fists curled. That last look Sasuke had given him made him mad.

It was like being a Genin again, that look that reduced him to an insignificant child, that told him he didn't exist, he didn't matter, and whatever similarity that Naruto felt he shared with Sasuke, didn't have any basis, and he had no place.

Yes, he was an orphan, but he wasn't the same. They weren't the same.

That's what those eyes told him.

_I'm alone, and there is no one. No one shares my pain. I am alone._

Sasuke's eyes rolled him into a ball of darkness only the Uchiha could curl up inside, where no one else mattered.

Every time that Sasuke had thought like that, he'd done terrible things. He wasn't thinking straight.

"Stop mocking me." Naruto spit out at his former rival.

Sasuke took off with a spurt of intense chakra from his feet. He disappeared into the trees, his jacket making him a brown blur.

Naruto stood there still, not following.

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* * *

Kakashi hatake was reclined on his couch. He'd come home after a mission. He had a lot of things on his mind, surprisingly the problem of Sasuke left the forefront of his mind for a few brief hours when he attended to paperwork he'd let pile up.

He'd rested his jacket on the couch of his practically bare apartment. It just had the necessities, chairs, tables, a couch, somewhere to shoes, and benches to store things, appliances.

But he'd fallen asleep, he didn't even realized he'd been tired.

The world drifted away so fast that he gave into it, instead of holding back. He needed to conserve his strength, and he'd always preached that a ninja must get rest whenever he could, because one never knew when he'd be called to an emergency.

In the dream he was sleeping on the couch. His body was fully conked out. Something brushed past his hand, he opened his eyes.

He tried to sit up, but his movements were languid and dreamy.

"Hey, come back here!" A woman's voice called out softly, as if trying not to wake up someone who was sleeping—that was him, he guessed.

He tried to look up at her, his eyes blurred. He saw a long pale leg. Her face wavered in his vision.

He rubbed his eyes. He saw short black hair.

She was tall.

She was wearing a sleeping robe, it was open at the front and a black dress could be seen beneath. She had some kind of contraption on her leg. Holsters?

Yes, they looked like they contained needles.

She was bending down, trying to grasp something, and giggling.

Whatever it was made a small crash as it skidded into the couch at his feet. It was something small.

An animal?

Kakashi sat up, pulling himself together. Soft charcoal eyes focused on him. The mouth broke into a wide smile. The woman had very white teeth and when exposed, she was rather attractive. Her face lit up.

"Shizune? What are you-?"

"Sssh." She gestured at the end of the couch, winking.

"What is it?"

He moved towards the end of the couch to peer down at whatever was crouched there.

Kakashi's eyes widened. A boy with red eyes stared back at him. He had short black hair, and a petulant mouth. He was about 4 years old. His chin wobbled until a sob erupted there. He was rubbing a bruise on his arm.

_Sasuke?!_ The copy ninja's mind reeled. _He looks like Sasuke! What's going on? _

Before he could form anything into words, the kid ran into his chest.

Kakashi groaned, he felt sore there, that was weird, had something happened? Why did his chest feel like it ached?

The child threw his tiny arms around the Jonin's neck.

The sounds of sobs were distant to his ears.

He tried to pull the child off of him. The kid clung harder.

"H-hey!—come on—" Kakashi froze when the kid turned his big impossibly large onyx eyes pooling with tears on him.

His face softened, he put his hand on the kid's head. Shizune was nodding approvingly and moved away from them. He heard her humming as she moved into the kitchen.

Kakashi had to shift his foot, it was becoming numb, the child was clinging viciously onto him.

When he finally extricated himself from the child, he bent down, putting a hand under his chin to get his attention.

"Listen, hey, it's alright. What are you crying for? Here, look at me. What's your name-?"

"Daddy, I hwrt my awm." The boy said in a trembling voice, his innocent eyes started to well up again.

The room seemed to be spinning even though Kakashi was sure nothing was moving. His mind seemed to be falling backwards in a spiral.

Daddy. Daddy. Daddy.

Those words echoed in his ears.

Everything went blank, but he could still hear the kid, and he could feel the tiny hands around his neck once more.

And those eyes, innocent, and pleading for help, begging for his attention.

Strangely he felt his heart answer to the child's words.

_Son, you'll be fine. _

When had his heart become a parent's heart. Kakashi Hatake wasn't a man who had that kind of love to give. Just as he had doubts about becoming Hokage, he would hold the same reservations for becoming a parent.

He had never wanted to be in charge of Genin, his students had changed him, he'd be the first to admit—but still..a child.

Him? A father?

Why was he thinking this? A voice that was his own battled back with him.

He was in the dream, but he wasn't at the same time. And how did he know he was asleep, why did he think it was a dream?

Chubby cheeks wobbled in his view, orbs filled with unconditional love and than a soft hand, like pudgy satin touched his cheek.

Kakashi Hatake woke with a start. It wasn't a nightmare, but his body dripped with sweat and for the first time in many years he felt the pain of his father's death come back to him.

The solitude he felt at losing his only parent.

Why was he feeling those things? The dream had shaken him. It burdened him with the notion of being someone who another depended on, unconditionally.

He had made a vow to himself at a young age that he'd never be a father.

The loss of his dad had made him feel inadequate as one. He had looked up to his dad, shadowed him, acted cool in front of him, and felt so much..love..so much reliance on him. The man had died and left him with a heavy burden, a cold heart. He's become a man who followed the rules, and ignored his human senses.

He'd sworn he'd never put anyone in the shoes he was placed in. It wasn't a promise he knew he made to himself, and only realized it when he was confronted with the notion of caring for others.

In that way..

Kakashi lifted his head from his hands, after waking he'd fallen into deep self introspection, as he tried to figure out why he felt so affected by the dream.

The boy he'd been comforting was Sasuke. An impossibly young version of him, he'd never laid eyes on before.

"Sasuke."

When he breathed those words, he'd become aware of the presence he felt behind him. Kakashi stood up from the couch and turned towards the window.

The curtains blew back and forth gently, the day that was broadcasted across the sky was a sunny, breezy cloudless day, the figure was a black shadow against the sunlight.

Tall, lean, adolescent, with an arrogant lilt, and an impossibly red eye, the sharingan.

Sasuke. He looked livid. He jumped into the room, raising from his bent pose after his leap. His eyes were murderous.

Kakashi had shaken off his delusions and his face took a serious and more aware look as he stood up and faced the Uchiha boy who'd come through his window clearly issuing a threat by coming to him in this manner.

"Yes, you're getting old, Kakashi. It took you awhile." The smirk seemed to pull his whole face into a sneer. Black strands dusted his cheeks.

"Come on now, I'm just in my thirties, I wouldn't say I'm close to old age anytime soon." Kakashi's voice assumed its easy nonchalance.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes.

"So what do you want Sasuke?"

"You were daydreaming it seems." Sasuke gave a condescending shrug.

"I was in a dream I couldn't seem to get out of. Now that you've appeared like this, makes me wonder." Kakashi remarked lightly, he was just teasing, but his chest constricting, the burden he'd never wanted felt like it was climbling onto his chest. The dream was getting to him.

Sasuke's face looked livid once more. "I didn't create any images for you. Whatever you dreamt about was your own."

"Really? Hm. You were in it." Kaksahi mused aloud. "I don't think I ever met you as a child, but I could imagine you were something like that. Innocent, carefree, precious."

"Shut up!" Sasuke had pulled out a kunai, he held it like a sword by instinct. He looked like he'd forgotten he didn't have Kusanagi to whip out. He realized his mistake and adjusted his hold.

"Sasuke, do you see me as your father? Is that why you're misbehaving in front of me." Kakashi asked, with almost genuine curiosity, but his voice dipped sharply and became harsher than he intended. "When will you grow up? Pulling stunts like this."

"I thought I told you to shut up!" Sasuke roared, his pale fist flew at Kakashi who didn't bother to dodge it, he caught it deftly with his gloved hand.

"What do you want, Sasuke? I'm all ears."

"I want you to leave me alone!" He growled "I don't want you to come with us on the mission." Sasuke spat venomously. "I can't stand the sight of you. I hate you." Sasuke was infusing a lot of chakra in his left eye, it was gathering and swirling, his body was starting to emit some as well. Since Kakashi had his own Sharingan activated, he could see the patterns.

But just as a gust of chakra passed through Sasuke's system, the boy fell to the ground screaming.

Kakashi dropped his hand; Sasuke was writhing on the ground. He was alarmed for a moment, before it came back to him. "Tsunade hasn't released the chakra limiter jutsu from you yet. It would seem she had the right idea."

A hue of relief passed the cloud of Kakashi's face. His eyes drifted away distantly for an instance as he faced the boy who was struggling to get back on his feet, glaring angrily all the way.

He was couldn't help but see a softer face, with more expressive, innocent eyes.

Kakashi blinked it away. Now wasn't the time. He had always seen his students almost like children, but never actually _as children._ That was too much for him.

"Y-you—arghuggggghh—" Sasuke flopped down once more. His face strained with pain. It wasn't easy for Sasuke to rein in his emotions when he released them, his chakra acted off of his temper and was difficult to pull back.

Kakashi would've instructed him to calm down, even attempted to pull him down by force until he got under control, but the look of pure and raw hatred burning in the 19-year olds eyes held him back.

He could never understand what this kid was thinking. He'd been wrong all along.

When Kakashi spoke his voice was distant. He turned his back and gave a sigh. "So you thought you'd come here and deal with me, so you could take me out equation. But you should know that wouldn't solve anything. The Hokage would send people after me, Naruto wouldn't leave it alone. Nothing would work out simple for you. I don't think you were thinking at all. You just wanted to mess with me. Because you just hate me that much, Sasuke. I'm aware that I'm not an Uchiha. But aren't you taking your superiority complex too far?"

What Kakashi didn't say aloud was that Sasuke's bloodline made his ocular powers much more powerful than his own. Kakashi didn't kid himself. Sasuke had surpassed him some time ago.

Kakashi faced the window, he gazed out, almost listless. For a man who had never wanted a child, he felt like a helpless parent right now.

He didn't know how to deal with this impossible, unquenchable hatred that Sasuke had developed for him.

He didn't know if it was because the boy really felt abandoned by him, and if he really was just a needy soul in search of a home he'd never find.

He honestly didn't know what to do. He had sworn he'd help Naruto. But Sasuke reacted so badly to him. Maybe he should stay out of it.

"If you come, I swear I will kill you. So just leave me alone!" Sasuke's voice sounded in Kakashi's ears, venomously.

A breezed sailed against his back and he knew Sasuke had departed out of the window he'd come.

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* * *

The sun had set in the sky when a knock sounded on his door. Kakashi was still standing in the same spot Sasuke had left him.

He knew the chakra signature standing outside his door.

"Come in." He called, his voice wary.

Naruto opened the door. He stood inside hesitantly, looking around. When his eyes met Kakashi's back, he came in all the way and shut the door behind him.

"Tsunade said we're going to be leaving in the morning. Kakashi-sensei." Naruto seemed tired himself, it was obvious he'd been thinking hard about something, his words were stiff.

"I won't be coming."

"Huhn?" Naruto snapped his head up. "Whatdaya mean? 'Course you have to."

"No. I leave Sasuke to you Naruto. I am sorry." The Jonin faced him, a forced smile on his face. "I'm confident you can handle it. You always can, nowadays."

"But that makes no sense, what changed your mind?"

"You want the truth?" Kakashi said seriously.

The blonde's eyes were solemn. "Uh—y-yeah—of course."

"I can't help Sasuke, anymore." Kakashi said with a dry laugh. "I'm not sure I ever did."

"Don't say that, you did a lot, just because Sasuke is like this now, doesn't mean you haven't done a lot for him. We've all tried. You did the most." Naruto gave a pitying look. "He's just being stubborn when it comes to you. He'll come around."

"Thank you for stopping by Naruto. Good luck on your mission."

"Hunh? Is that your way of telling me to leave." Naruto did a mock pout. "Alright already." When he turned away his eyes were a stern blue.

"I thought I had it all figured out, about Sasuke." Kakashi spoke, causing Naruto to freeze.

"I don't think I understand why he is like that. I just made a bunch of guesses and acted selfishly." The grey flecks in Kakashi's eyes shone.

The door opened as Naruto turned the knob. He stopped just before closing it behind him. "No offense Kakashi sensei, but I think you and Sasuke are alike more than you know. You're both running away from something."

"What's that?"

"The truth."

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* * *

Shizune walked passed him as Kakashi strolled into the Hokage tower. "Oh, hey. I had a lovely dream about you." He teased as he came to a stop.

She looked thrown. "What?!" A blush spread across her cheeks.

Kakashi gestured with his head. "Would you like to get something to drink."

Five minutes later they were seated at a shack with hot beverages.

"What's the matter Kakashi? You didn't sound like yourself earlier—I—I-don't mean what you said, I mean your tone. Did something happen?" Shizune looked concerned. She tucked a strand of black hair behind her ear nervously as she waited for his reply.

"Ah. Well, lots of stuff. I'm afraid it's hard to find a where to begin."

She waited.

"Naruto said I'm running from the truth."

Shizune furrowed her brows. "What truth is that?"

"He believes I'm giving up too easily. To sum it up."

"Um..well, are you?" Shizune asked tentatively. "He's a smart boy, that Uzumaki."

Kakashi had spent nearly a decade of evading personal conversations and small talk. Now he was sitting in a booth initiating serious discussion that involved matters that he would have to make a decision on. He wasn't the type of guy who let people in. He'd kept all his classmates at bay, and even Guy's constant badgering him as a young Jonin hadn't gotten him anywhere for a very long time.

Kakashi put the cup to his lips before speaking. "I was afraid of Minato sensei, I was scared I would catch his gentle way with people. His easy unaffected manner of doing things. He was such a people person. He cared deeply about everybody and everything. I truly believe he had the heart of a Hokage."

Kakashi found himself barreling forward with his words. Perhaps it was easy to tell someone who had nothing to do with his past.

"When I was first introduced to him as our Jonin leader. I couldn't believe that the Yellow Flash was this mother hen with the tender nature. His talent was extraordinary, and his strength, something else. He made me uneasy for the longest time. You could hear him caring, even when he didn't talk. He'd somehow gotten Obito to want to work with me, when we couldn't stand each other…calling me Captain." Kakashi chuckled on that memory. The surprise he felt when Obito had said those words.

Shizune had listened without interrupting. Her eyes moved back and forth across his face. "So what does Naruto's words about you have to do with the Yellow Flash?"

"Oh, it proves a lot of things. I know just how one might come to feel about their sensei. I admired Minato a lot, and I—" Kakashi eyes lined with amusement. "I wondered how I would be if a man like that was my father. Someone like him who never wavered."

Shizune, who didn't really understand Kakashi that much, could sense that they'd touched on something profound, something that this tall, blasé man didn't normally confide to people. She felt sure that they were not talking about Kakashi somehow, but she didn't feel comfortable enough to interrupt. She would let him get it out first.

Kakashi stared into his cup for long time. He could lose track of the time in contemplative silence. Shizune wasn't sure he remembered if he knew she was still there.

"I know what Sasuke feels. But, I'm not Minato-sensei. I can't be." The words echoed in the empty stall.

It felt like an eternity before anyone spoke that it almost startled her. Shizune had no idea why Sasuke's name was suddenly mentioned though.

"Are you saying that Sasuke sees you, as you saw the Yellow Flash? But, why is that a bad thing, aren't you his sensei?"

Kakashi looked up. He gave a sympathetic smile, his eyes crinkled shut at her. Then he stood up. "Thank you for listening, I'm afraid I have to go. It was nice of you to offer to pay as well! Bye!"

He disappeared in a puff of smoke, holding his hand up pleasantly waving.

Shizune was left gawking, and she sputtered when she realized what he'd done. The owner of the stall was holding his palm up with one hand, when she's stood up to go after Kakashi, he placed another hand on her shoulder to keep her from running off.

"Aye. Tsunade, you're just like this yourself. Why am I always stuck with these people." She gave a big sigh.

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* * *

Mei Terumi bit her lip. She had informed Konoha of the change in plans, a few days ago. They wouldn't be setting off until tomorrow morning at the earliest.

She hated to drag other nations into their own problems, especially before she knew the full scope of what she was dealing with.

She stood at the balcony overlooking the Mist Village. The hat with her position emblazoned on it, billowed in the window, her brunette-reddish locks stirring with it.

The sun had dipped below the horizon now. Night had just fallen a couple of hours ago.

Her hand was resting on the railing; she slid it off, retreating back inside.

She went down the stairs to lock up her office. The guards nodded at her as she smiled at them with her green eyes, tilting her chin to acknowledge them.

She had spent the day listening to testimonials from witnesses who had survived another wave of incidents on their border.

This time the assailant had left many civilians alive, and a few ninja. They had come back defeated, and none could remember anything about the attacker.

She had spent the afternoon in the ANBU quarters, as they devised a plan of action. She did not want to send a single one of them into battle, without finding out what they were dealing with exactly.

Which is why she needed a small recon team to gather information before she sent Mist Shinobi representing a Mizukage. Their failure would stir up things politically then she cared to.

She needed a team that was effective, skilled, who could handle a potentially strong enemy if it came to fighting, but who would serve as information gathering division. So they could get a good idea on what was going on.

She looked incompetent to her people for the last time. They found it easy to blame the fact that a women was in office for their setbacks. She wasn't going to give them the satisfaction.

The major dilemma had come in the fact that she needed good men, but couldn't use any of their own, because as well as taking care of her village she had to inevitably play a game of higher ups were waiting for her to sacrifice ANBU and top Jonin teams so they could make a power play.

What was worse than the misogynists, were the dark souls who wanted to control the village and take it back into its blood mist era. She'd be damned if she let that happen.

Mei contemplated going in herself and resolving matters, but she was smart enough to calculate the potential disasters if anything were to occur while she was away.

They had nailed her to a wall. She had to do things, while not being allowed to do anything.

Anything she did would be misconstrued and be used to turn the political tables on her.

All of this would be easier if just one group could get an accurate description of the situation to her.

The easiest route to get this all done without using her higher ups, was to use Konoha.

Mei Terumi liked to think of all possibilities and she wasn't one to be driven to recklessness. Which is why during her reign, there was a large cut in fatalities during missions.

She came up with plan A's, plan B's, all the way to Plan Z's when she thought it was necessary. Some gossiped she was too involved in areas that were not in her jurisdiction.

She had made up for it by completing her load, and then taking on more on her down time. They couldn't complain then.

Luckily she had a great team which cut a lot of work for her in half.

Ai and Chojuro were Godsends.

It seemed dreamlike, the feats she'd accomplished. Five years ago, when she'd been placed in this position, they barely had many Shinobi who had trained for years; they had to constantly cultivate new ninja to take over, her nation survived because they were blessed with diverse Ninjutsu clans.

She remembered a friend of hers as a child, had possessed a special crystal ice technique.

Though that couldn't have compared with the two strongest, that Konoha possessed. The Uchiha and Hyuuga, those two were an army on their own.

What she'd give for one of them for their village. Ah, but that was too much of a fantasy.

She tsked when she thought of how just _an eye_ of the hyuuga had benefited them. Ai's spoil from the war.

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Despite her beauty and very feminine appearance, Mei had been raised like a boy. She'd trained like one. When you were the only female child of a poor family who dreamed of a son to make ANBU and pay for their expenses, you didn't slack off.

Mei had made captain at 15. It was the hardest time in her life, and she wouldn't have recognized her old self now.

She had to dress up as a boy, maintain that disguise as well as hone her skills and avoid getting killed while also keeping up the pretense with her fellow comrades.

It got much harder to hide when she turned 17, but lucky for her they'd overturned the rule in the Mist Village of not allowing women in ANBU, but then they specified an age. One year older than her own. Another ruse had to be kept up.

It seemed she always was pretending to be something she wasn't.

The reason she was 28 and unmarried wasn't because she wasn't interested, or picky, but even though she could comfortably be who she was born as, she still worked like a man.

It turned out men didn't like women who bested them in intelligence and skill. On second thought, maybe she was picky. She spent her whole life sweating to achieve things, she didn't appreciate simpering fools who rode on money, nor the ones who treated her in what their definition of 'a woman' was.

When she made Hokage, well that certainly made them all run for the hills.

She was beautiful because it had never been any concern of hers to be so, and she was confident because being any less would have meant death many times throughout her life.

It might all seem sad, but there was a reason she was the first female Kage of the great nations.

That made up for her being late for other things in life.

There was something everyone in her life had not really noticed, she didn't just move up the ranks because she could, something that was luckily overlooked—she was indelibly kind, and it hadn't been just out of necessity that she sought to be a great Shinobi.

No, she actually cared.

She wanted all the fluffy things you could dream of as a child.

She wanted to protect and to love her people as a kind ruler, she saw them as her family.

It wasn't the strategist in her that made plans to keep teams safe, it was out of affection.

To most people, she was the femme fatale, skilled but to be stayed away from. Her subjects adored her, those who had gotten a chance to work closely with her, had been shocked to discover that there was cheerfulness and a real human underneath the figure they made of her.

She had a calming effect on people, she didn't notice it though.

Because of the fact that she had led a rather stressful life, she had take care of her psyche very much, there was no one to help her, calm her. She had to act as her own medicine.

Mei could be very meditative. She had to be her own ocean sounds. She retreated into being laid back, did things carefully, because she believed panicking didn't make anything any better off.

It wasn't that she didn't have fear, of course she did. She just saved it as the very last resort.

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**It'd appreciate it! (and hopefully be inspired!)**

**Tell me what you guys liked! or hated! Even one line would be fine with me!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Author's Note: **Here's the thing guys…the reason it took me this long was—I was bullied by these two HUGE giants, called STUBBORNESS and WRITER'S BLOCK. The latter was great company.

This chapter is SHORT and doesn't have **SASUKE** or THE **MIZUKAGE** in it.

Don't kill me. I apologize in advance. I just starting writing again. And I thought I'd give you guys SOMETHING since you've been waiting so long.

**Disclaimer**: I definitely don't own the way the sunlight hits Minato locks, oh yeah, or Naruto in its entirety which is owned by Masashi Kishimoto. I just write for fun, not profit. SERIOUSLY, I GET NOTHING. NO MONETARY GAIN WHATSOEVER. BELIEVE IT.

**Chapter 14**\- **Minato's light**

Kakashi ran his thumb unconsciously over his glass, its contents long finished. He sat in his apartment, night fallen across his white blinds, alone. His thoughts were on overdrive, tunneling into different directions. The only sounds were the soft squeaking that emitted from his hands as they rubbed the glass absently.

Kakashi was far away into distant memories.

* * *

"You wanted to talk." Minato sat down next to Kakashi, a gentle smile on his face.

A young Kakashi stared back at him blankly. "I didn't say anything."

"People don't just talk with their mouths."

Kakashi looked down and frowned. In seconds his face molded into an impenetrable mask. He had a 'do not disturb' sign clearly written on his face. He didn't want to open up.

The night air tickled their cheeks in a sharp burst of cool air.

The camp site was silent as the minutes ticked by without anyone uttering a word.

Kakashi was stubborn and could sit for hours without a care, ignoring his companion. He didn't have any opinion of people, he didn't care what they thought of him and since he never sought to please anyone nor gain anything from them, no one ever really got anywhere with him.

But Minato was different….

Kakashi couldn't help but feel a slight urge to fidget. Normally, he was stone cold to any prodding. If it was a teammate and he was in a particularly good mood, they'd get an amused chuckle, at their expense, but that was it.

Kakashi by principle didn't feel comfortable around loud people. Those that by the natural decibel of their voices were noisy. He also didn't appreciate people who prattled on. Those who tried to be 'helpful' to him didn't get anywhere either. They inevitably poked the wrong place, as Guy often did.

But Minato…

He was too quiet.

Disconcertingly quiet.

He was quiet in a way that was too loud for Kakashi to bear.

The sliver haired young boy could feel almost to a physical level, the weight of the words that Minato had to say to him.

Always had to say to him, but never did.

They were on a mission and he did have something to say, he had moments dispite how far he'd retreated from the graces of others, when he wanted to bounce his thoughts off _something, someone_.

Earlier today when he was feeling that way. Minato had looked over at him. Over the heads of a bragging Obito, and a giggliing Rin.

Kakashi wasn't even in Minato's sight, but his sensei had turned around expressly to look out for him and finding his form had a curious look in his eyes.

What had Minato seen? Kakashi couldn't help, even now the guilty tremor in his blood that foolishly made him almost flush with embarrassment that someone could read his intentions.

The way that a parent could gauge the fact that their child had gotten into some trouble and the extent of it without even turning around. Minato seemed to call out 'Are you okay,' with his eyes, when Kakashi was physically unhurt.

If it was anyone else, he would have been angry. He couldn't be with Minato-sensei. For the first part, such emotions slide off of him and it was exasperating to attempt to provoke him with your worked up state.

The Yellow Flash had the quality where he neutralized it on the spot. It was gone. Your anger, frustration, whatever.

Secondly, he was resilently calm. As if he'd walked through a minefield and grown wary by nature of needless squabbles.

The Yellow Flash…

Yes, Kakashi suspected that it wasn't so much admiration on his part that lurked behind his motivation to tolerate Minato more than others, as it was purely…just…vanity.

Kakashi was vain and superficial. He cared about power. It grabbed him by the neck and prostrated him.

That..he couldn't change. People who have felt weak, never forget it and always become attracted to the opposite.

Kakashi sought to constantly hone his techniques, learn better Jutsus, and counter blind spots.

It was nothing. Minato was nothing. If the next Shinobi with half Minato's strength passed by, Kakashi would graviate towards them with a blink, as if to gain their power in his proximity.

Kakashi glanced sideways at Minato who sat next to him, staring up at the stars with a douse of contentment in his eyes.

Kakashi's eye wrinkled in near petulance before Minato's faint smile snapped him out of it.

A blue eye winked at him.

Hmpf. He was being mocked. Leave it to Minato to make it look like he was absorbed one moment and completely at attention the next.

No, that's the thing about Minato, looks could really be deceiving.

A man who looked like he could be broken by the wind, bent, but who sliced through it with strength attached to his speed.

His yellowed hair and blue eyes lapping like ocean across the shore out into the world, seemed, hinted out to others a sense of surrender, a nature that was too soft to be anything else. Weakness. And that was the last thing the man was. There was a ferocity burning in his eyes in battle like nothing else.

So Minato had always been paying attention. He 'd never lost focus for a minute.

Kakashi mentally grinded his teeth before he spoke almost with resignation.

"Earlier, that mission—wasn't what I wanted."

"…"

"I don't agree that we should have taken it. Why would that old man waste resources in bringing his grandson back, hiring us, after someone who doesn't want to be found. It's a waste of our time, and a waste of his."

Kakashi sighed. "It's stupid." He continued. "The way he carries on. The way you indulge him, all of you. It's pathetic. People have their own minds, what's the point trying to change something that can't be changed. People have shown time and time again that once they decide to do something…selfishly..they can't be talked out of it. Only a fool doesn't realize when to stop trying."

"Hmm." Minato mused. "So you're saying that we shouldn't have hope?"

Kakashi didn't reply, he let his face do the talking for him.

"I can see what your point of view is, but I don't think it's right. Imagine if we never had people to talk us out of our bad choices. Sometimes the things we have to give to others are not freely accepted, warranted or wanted. But there's a part of us that would be unsatisfied if we didn't try. And for loved ones, it's worth it. It's only a bad thing if you abandon something easily, not the opposite. Anything worth it, is worth fighting for. That boy, you might see him as a misguided criminal, but what if from trying, and from giving the part of yourself that person needs, taking responsibility, you could create a different path for them—maybe even for yourself."

"That's wishful thinking."

"Everything begins with a wish."

"?"

"But beyond a simple wish it's a service, not just that person, but to yourself. Failing after not having tried feels bad, don't you agree? Sometimes we have to have the guts to look past our personal reluctances. It may not be that we don't want to help someone else, but are afraid of something in us that could be potentially awakened. Something good that we refuse to recognize."

"It's pathetic." Kakashi repeated adamantly. "You can't help someone who won't help themselves and if I think someone is an idiot for wasting their time, then…."

"People do have to realize things on their own and at times it's the only way, but if the person who loves them turns their back at them, it makes it that much harder for them to return. And..that's selfish."

Kakashi had been sitting closer to the fire, and was rubbing his hands over it, staring deeply at the flames as his sensei spoke.

Minato's hands rested in his lap, his body still, but his mouth was moving passionately. He faced Kakashi fully. His eyes were more searing then the flame.

Was Minato alluding to Kakashi's father? The way he said _selfish_, the same way Kakashi had said it. He pushed that thought out of his mind as Minato continued speaking.

"It's not like the problem will go away if we ignore it. It will just become a bigger mess for someone else to clean up. If they can…"

Kakashi turned dubiously towards Minato. The anger and annoyance at the old man seemed to be ebbing, though he still couldn't actually understand the motivations. So according to Minato-sensei, out of love, not wanting to make big messes, causing someone to lose themselves permanently-and-but what was in it for him? The old man suffered, each time pulled up with false hope….ugh. Whatever.

Kakashi switched gears, sounding almost teasing."So—you're saying I should be like Obito and keep helping old ladies cross the street even though I might be late to every single thing?"

Minato's laugh rang high, his yellow locks swaying as he laughed with mirth. He reached out and ruffled a reluctant Kakashi's hair. "Maybe start small and one day you'll be like Obito."

Kakashi made a face but managed to crack a small smile. He knew Minato was obviously teasing him because he and Obito didn't get along, otherwise in what way was that goofball idiot better than him?

Minato made it sound like Obito had something that Kakashi should acquire. Something positive. As if.

Kakashi looked offended and turned away, although the mood was very light now, he wouldn't shake that feeling that Minato hadn't been joking with his last comment.

* * *

Kakashi's cup was sitting on the counter and when the morning rays peaked out of his curtains, they caught the glass with beams of light.

Kakashi had left.

He had remembered the words of a wise man. He wasn't going to a coward, or selfish. He wasn't going to run away from something inside him he was afraid of embracing. He knew he didn't like Sasuke cultivating the type of dependence he'd suspected, of paternal leanings.

Was he contradicting himself? What about Naruto?

But…Sasuke…the boy was too much of himself for Kakashi to face without bias. He'd first wanted to train Sasuke because he suspected they shared a similar talents, and now he avoided Sasuke because of a similar of darkness that Kakashi had struggled hard with, after losing the people he'd loved.

What was he thinking? He knew all this time that he could in fact do more for Sasuke.

He'd disappointed himself.

He could protect one light, without burning out another.

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**Review?**


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto characters and all that spiel….you know by now.

**Author's Note:** This chapter is pretty long, so strap on your seat belts….and let's go!

**Chapter 15: Arrival at Kirigakure**

The wind picked up, blowing a gust of leaves towards them. Sasuke landed skillfully as he came down from a tree branch. He'd felt a presence, but pushed it to the back of his mind, willfully ignoring whoever was tailing them.

Naruto frowned but proceeded ahead with no change in pace or look back. His expression made it evident that he knew something, but felt he should keep his feelings about it to himself.

Despite Sasuke's protestations and anger, from Naruto's perspective he seemed to have mellowed quite a bit.

When one visited somewhere new they had seedlings of expectations sprouting within them, even a genin with vast experience in warfare and the Shinobi world affairs could not be entirely immune to the first-day-of-academy feeling that manifested, when one found themselves amidst new surroundings and adventures.

Sasuke couldn't be immune not matter how much he may deny it—even to himself. Could he?

His expression played if off as if it were merely a change of scenery for him. They had crossed the barrier of sea that was between the outside world and Kiragakure. The security checks they had to undergo were pesky, even with a seal of the Hokage that Naruto flashed from his breast coat.

As they climbed aboard the small boat, Naruto pulled on a white cape over his attire, and Sasuke, like a bird in the night, had thrown a black one of identical structure over his shoulders, letting it fall down to his feet. The material that made up the overcoats helped steady them from the force of the wind, and keep random debris from staining their clothes as well as acting as a general protection from the elements. Additionally, Sasuke drew his hood over his head.

The problem was that even the civilians now knew who he was. The Uchiha had his face plastered everywhere after he'd disrupted the Kage Summit a year ago. So although they knew they were supposed to let him climb on board the boat, they did it with the absolute reluctance and with suspicious and fearful glances in his direction.

Sasuke focused on now, not bothering to spend his thoughts reflecting on how others regarded him. He never cared. They'd crossed over without any further events. Now they traveled on land toward the next check point.

A heady rush started from his head which made the blood course hotter within his veins. It had been quite a while since he had seen any sort of action. The thrill of being on a mission and feeling the invisible noose that had been around his neck loosen considerably was liberating.

The thicket of trees parted and Sasuke could see the large stone buildings of Kirigakure rising up, surrounded by a layer of light fog.

It was a new place—No, it was an old place where he didn't have entirely bad memories embedded in each fissure of limestone and clay.

The clouds were gathering in the sky in a clump, hovering black over the atmosphere, threatening rain.

Sasuke's charcoal hair framed his face in loose lank strands, and his skin still looked pale as moonlight, his mouth was drawn down without the smallest hint of amusement. There was no question that Sasuke was still the same man who'd mocked the Hokage and stormed out after threatening Kakashi. The anger inside him was still present, just dormant for the moment.

But there was a lilt to his shoulders that seemed as if a fraction of weight had been taken off of his body.

Naruto who was a couple of paces behind, leaping from branch to branch with leisure had a thoughtful and uncharacteristically subdued nature to him. The cool breeze was molesting his blonde locks and his azure pupils were a light blue, like ice cubes nestled between a cool drink of water.

It was a very pensive look, and his pace was obviously intentional. He was far behind Sasuke, to the point the Uchiha could imagine he was journeying alone.

Although, it wasn't like Naruto to deliberately allow himself to fall behind Sasuke, no matter the situation.

Occasionally Sasuke's eyes would flicker back and a sneer would encapsulate his features. But the cold looks were few and far between, as their destination neared just beyond a desolate hill. They'd passed the border of Kirigakure long ago, and after crossing over the surrounding seas, they were considered officially within the domain of the mist ninja.

And their Hokage.

Or their Mizukage, as it were.

Sasuke's mind flickered to everything he knew about the politics of Kirigakure.

Despite seas raging on both sides and the constant suspicious fog blurring one's vision, the place almost looked-tranquil.

The heart in unrest sometimes craves a new place. Before the shadows reveal themselves, it often appears as heaven.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, and his dark brows furrowed. Out of all the Shinobi villages, Kirigakure was the place which had the largest rate of producing rogue ninja. That was a fact.

Sasuke was not unaware of the messy thread of politics that made Konoha seem innocent by comparison.

_As least the Shinobi here don't put on pretenses about their intentions. I'm just about sick of hearing about Konoha's 'Will of fire', when in the end they're all just hypocrites—every last one of them._

Sasuke gave a grim smile, maybe being here wouldn't be so bad. The people here were so tainted they couldn't put on an image of virtuousness. Sasuke had the passing thought that it would be easier to breath in such a place.

Some would say he was right at home—those who called him a traitor.

Of course Konoha was his real home, it would always be, no matter what. The Village Hidden in the Leaves would always be Sasuke's compass; the place where he started to find where he was going. It would always be where he'd return to, in the end.

He didn't have any delusions about that. It was where his family had lived. If he cared for nothing else—respected nothing else—he respected them. Everything he ever did was out of the love he felt for his family.

People scoffed at him and saw him as a misguided fool. They thought he acted in vain, and dishonored his family with his actions. Anyone who wanted to say that to his face was more than welcome.

He dared them to. Sasuke would cut them down with his bare hands. He didn't need the comments and judgments of those who couldn't understand a damn thing about his pain.

His eyes glowed with the Sharingan. The feeling of someone lighting him on fire started from his center and spread.

The pain was almost unbearable. Sasuke took shallow breaths.

_This is nothing._ He repeated in his head. _Nothing. _

He closed his eyes briefly, inhaling and exhaling slowly.

The unceasing pain was almost incapacitating.

_If I don't find something to focus on. I'm not going to last long. _

Sasuke's senses picked up a new smell, the leafy tinge of light burnt wood and salty spray of sea was in the air. He concentrated on that. It seemed to help a bit.

But now he felt so tired, moving was an effort let alone leaping from branch to branch. But Sasuke pushed past it, his thoughts swimming to the surface as he realized what was wrong with him.

_The pain must be addling my mind. _He thought bitterly. _To imagine this was regular fatigue or the result of going so long without exerting myself this much. _

Naruto who had not spoken to Sasuke much during most of the journey, pulled up beside him. "Are you alright. You were going super fast then you slowed down, then picked up speed before slowing down again. Is something wrong?"

Sasuke picked up his speed as an answer. But for a second, he almost lost his footing. If Naruto noticed, he didn't comment.

The blonde was still talking behind him, much closer now. "I was hoping I'd get to see the bridge with my namesake." Naruto mused. "It would have been a nice trip down memory lane, wouldn't you say, Sasuke?"

Sasuke concentrated on the rain that had started pelting his coat with droplets and the splashing sound from their feet kicking off damp grass.

Sasuke was well aware that they had come from the east side of Kirigakure, and so they would not be seeing The Great Naruto Bridge.

And it was fine—it was good. Sasuke didn't need any more subtle reminders of what he should go back to.

He could never go back to who he was. No one could. No matter what sort of intention they had—for good or wickedness.

One can't swim in the exact spot of a lake twice. A time passed was passed, and no amount of wishful thinking or dreaming could recapture it.

"At last." Sasuke breathed to himself with a nearly devilish frame to his mouth, white beads of rain dotted his inky head and his breath was still irregular, but he didn't mind it so much. A new will burned in his eyes.

Naruto didn't have to be facing his friend to see that Sasuke was resolved in whatever his plans involved.

Whatever they were—they spelled of trouble, for Naruto and everyone else.

"Sasuke." Naruto spoke up. Now that they were walking regularly on ground, he matched Sasuke's distance and then came to a stop next to him. "From here we have to be careful. Did you sense anything strange with your Sharingan? Since we came—I mean. It's making me a little uneasy, actually. This weird feeling in the air." Naruto bit his lip. He turned his head from side to side. They stood on a high hill overlooking a village with muted lights amidst the fog.

Sasuke didn't respond. To tell the truth, Naruto's presence was like a static frequency that buzzed at the edge of his subconscious. He could never totally ignore him no matter how much he seemed to, outwardly. And it always left him feeling irritable in the back of his mind. He usually remedied that with terse words—but that was always a temporary solution.

It was always all or nothing when came to his former team 7 mate. He either had to listen to Naruto completely or he had to get rid of him—completely.

He couldn't tolerate the guilty—or something that resembled guilt—ping within him that reprimanded him constantly in the form of a deafening hum he couldn't hush.

Telling Naruto to shut up was also a fruitless endeavor. The kid—Sasuke couldn't help refer to Naruto as a kid in his mind when he felt fed up with him—was always talking more than he could bare.

Both outside him-and inside where he found it harder to silence.

Sasuke stared at the drizzling rain and savored the cold bite that nipped at his nose and chin.

He pushed the problem of Naruto to the back of his mind for now. He'd deal with him when the time came, as soon as he was finished here. He needed to stay focused, between his 'mission' and Naruto's much keener senses to deal with, there was also a host of Shinobi that were worth their salt and would not be easily fooled. Sasuke would have to match play for play if he was going to come out of this as the victor in the end.

Yes, focus on his goal.

It made the leaking fumes of anger that bubbled out and bit anyone within 5 feet slowly subside. With a goal in mind, it was easier to not give into base anger and self-satisfying destruction.

Already he wasn't the same ninja that stood seething in Tsunade's office.

It was unlikely that even Kakashi would register on his radar at this moment.

Faced with a task to complete, people forget the petty desires that drove them foaming at the mouth. In purposelessness rediscovering it.

Sasuke had the whole journey to really ponder deeply about what he was going to do from here on out. He'd come to a decision and he was going to follow it through—to the end, no matter what.

He exhaled slowly, and took a step on the damp surface of the hill they had come to. The rain had soaked this area so that the grassy plain was muddy and wet.

Sasuke felt Naruto glance at him. And even without talking they both launched off in unison.

When they cleared the muddy terrain, figures in black filled their vision.

"Hm, so here they come." Sasuke spoke, raising his eyebrows at the dozen Kirigakure Shinobi headed their way.

Naruto stepped forward as the men came to a half. "You're expecting us. We were sent by the Hokage."

The taller man in the lead addressed them, "Yes, we know. If you would come with us."

Naruto nodded, his eyes scanning the figures with interest. He detected some of them were younger than they appeared, although big limbed and in a group as they were.

He could no doubt sense a pleasant aura coming from them, and thus relaxed a bit.

With no need to check if Sasuke was following, Naruto walked ahead to the path the men (and/or women) directed them to.

Sasuke was panting slowly, trying to keep himself in check. But he felt that same pressure building up in him. This time he couldn't move. His breathing was shallower than before. He could see Naruto walking ahead of him, and this image made him draw on reserves of power he didn't know he had. He stifled the pain and pushed his legs forward, making them take a step. His teeth were clenched and soon deep breaths rendered the discomfort to manageable levels. He was following along now.

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Ao was impatient. He was far more than just a good Shinobi, but he could get restless at the worse times. He was leaning on a pillar waiting for Chojuro's report.

The scatterbrained kid was late.

Ao tsked, chiding himself mentally. He knew he shouldn't brush off Chojuro as easily as that.

He was just a little sore at being almost beaten by the little runt a month ago.

The cloud of irritation that passed over Ao's head turned a shade darker. Yeah, fine thing to remember. Now he was going to keep running that one through his head nonstop. Ao grimaced, 'Such a little brat." He murmured, but not without some affection.

His dear comrade had been capable of pulling a fast one on him. But he couldn't say that he didn't have a hand in the skill that the boy had acquired in such a short time.

The confidence that was sorely lacking in the boy was completely nonexistent before he'd been transferred to the Mizukage's side to serve her. She was the one responsible for the boy's growth more than anyone.

A memory crept up and drew him backwards in time to a particular day.

_A little boy with light blue hair covering his eyes, and weak trembling arms stood in front of Mei. He was bruised all over; cuts and gashes were perceptible with the naked eye, although it was obvious more wounds lay beneath his clothes, from the way more tears fell when he was forced to move. He had taken a step forward as commanded by his new leader. _

_Ao eyes widened where he stood at the door. The Mizukage, leader of Kirigakure, put down her papers, removed her hat and wrapped both arms around the young boy. _

"_There. There. You can let it out."_

_The newly appointed Mizukage looked like a little girl holding what could have been her younger brother. The gentleness of the movement, and the refusal to act like a stoic leader and show obvious affection to a stranger—was an entirely new type of education for Ao. _

The flashback faded, and the man with the blue hair sticking upwards, gave a tiny smirk. He did like it when opponents underestimated the runt and it worked in their favor. It was quite easy to misjudge Chojuro's ability after seeing his timid nature and conflicted expression, but the opponents that did, almost always go their asses handed to them.

That kid would be something in a couple of years. He just knew it.

Ao could go from reluctantly acknowledging Chojuro's strength to feeling as prideful as a father.

"Aooo!"

And speak of the kid, there he was.

Chojuro was panting, obviously out of breath from running. His glasses were slipping down his nose and he kept readjusting them as he ran.

Ao gave a wary smile as Chojuro skidded to a stop.

"What's wrong short stuff? You usually take your time. What's with the nervous energy? A man should take his time and not rush around so carelessly."

"It's—It's—they're—he's—here." Chojuro was holding his chest, breathing in and out to catch his breath; it was obvious being winded wasn't what had him so flustered.

Ao suddenly dropped the nonchalant, teasing attitude he'd had and his eyebrows curved in a strict manner.

"What's wrong?!"

"They're here. The Uchiha and his teammate."

Ao didn't know if he should give in to his relief that there was nothing ominous afoot that Chojuro had run into, or if this should be something that warranted a deep feeling of apprehension and doom.

"Hm." Ao scratched his beardless chin. "Go let the Mizukage know." He figured he's hold off on any pessimism for now.

"Oh! I-im sorry."

"Chojuro, be a man, stop apologizing."

"Oh! Sorry!" Chojuro cried as he ran off.

Ao sighed at his inability to cure Chojuro from his terrible habits. Then his brows knit together seriously.

Ao who was not one to have a short fuse, found he couldn't help the annoyance that climbed his senses when it came to the notion of the Uchiha coming to their aide. At the same time a bit relief flooded him. If the Uchiha was willing and was one their side, it would work immensely in their favor.

"So they've come." He said out loud to the wind as a final comment. He would just have to see how it played out.

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They were lead to a building with one floor. It stood almost in the center of Kirigakure. It was the shortest building in the area. The tallest being the Mizukage's tower.

The building might have been an old dojo for its layout. The group that escorted them into the heart of the village, accompanied them now and gestured for them to seat themselves at a low table in the spacious room.

There were two seats up ahead on a higher plane with a long table set up next to it. It was where whoever commanded the meeting would sit to address a group. Sasuke's eyes took in everything, although his focus was starting to fade.

The man who was seemingly in charge was already in a polite and amiable conversation with Naruto, Sasuke noted with contempt.

After shaking out his rain garment, Naruto sat down tentatively.

Sasuke however, remained standing.

"Take a seat and our Mizukage will be arriving shortly." The command from the brown haired Shinobi with the thick eyebrows was steady and authoritative.

"No thank you." Sasuke voiced. He stood in his dripping black garment in the middle of the room with an expression that dared anyone to give him one more order that they thought he should obey.

He turned on his heel and started towards the door.

Naruto stood up. "Sasuke—wait."

The man who was the leader of the group also stood up as well. "Kaoru." A smaller figure from the bunch murmured to him. "He's the Uchiha, right? Just leave him." The voice was high pitched enough to hint at feminine tones. The small framed ninja tugged at the leader's sleeve.

Kaoru remained standing and did little but glower at Sasuke. The two briefly sized one another up.

"I'm going out." Sasuke remarked, which was a greater courtesy than he felt they deserved. "I'm not going to sit here and wait for someone who may or may not show up. I know my way around this village—generally."

Sasuke had reached the door and wrenched it open, but turned back to speak before stepping through it.

"Besides, there's someone here who can find me no matter how far I go. Isn't that right? Naruto." His smirk was full of malice but the hurtful part was that he'd cast as an annoying bug that couldn't be gotten rid of through normal means.

Naruto was tempted to yell back at Sasuke, why he came if he was intending to be un cooperative, but he didn't want to give the people here anymore confirmation of Sasuke's unwillingness. He just let go.

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Sasuke's foot splashed across puddles, and the bottom hem of his cape was lined with mud. He removed it as he walked on. The weather was not chilly enough to warrant snow in the rainy atmosphere.

He held a hand to his head, looking around even as he panted slowly. His eyes followed the towering stone buildings. This wasn't the part of Kirigakure he was use to. When he'd first come here, it was in a poor rural town. It wasn't in the center of Kirigakure political square. The Kage tower could be seen just beyond, in the center of village—the most prominent building.

He stared for a while out at the drizzle. His eyes followed the rain as it created rivulets beneath his feet. He found a corner of stone to lean against, it was two buildings between the one he'd left Naruto in.

When he couldn't bare it any longer, he collapsed to his knees. There was no one around to keep up appearances for and so he let himself cry out from the pain that hijacked his senses. Sasuke put his hand to his mouth to stifle his scream. The pain was brilliant and hot.

"My, my. Do you need a hand?"

Sasuke pulled his head from his chest with great effort to look at the newcomer.

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"Nar-uto?" Kaoru spoke up. "The Hokage told me about Sasuke. Don't worry, we're not quite as docile as he seems to make us out to be. Your teammate will discover he can't win so easily here."

"So what's going on? Did you guys not expect us?"

"No, we did." Kaoru sat down and he gestured for Naruto to take a seat as well. "As you know we've had a lot on our plate. Most of us just came back from switching out from border patrol. You might have noticed the number of ninja we have stationed there as you entered Kirigakure."

"Yeah. We had a bit of trouble getting through—even with all the papers we showed them. I don't blame ya guys for being cautious though. Is it true-Baa-chan—I mean our Hokage told us that civilians and ninja have been going missing?"

"Unfortunately." Kaoru's thick brows furrowed. "It couldn't have come at a worse time. But we'll get into the specifics when everyone's present."

"So—uh—are you guys Anbu?" Naruto asked, curiosity over taking him. "It's just that I've never seen masks like that."

The mask Kaoru wore hid his entire face, but tuffs of brown hair were hanging out at the sides. It was a blank white mask with two dots.

Naruto noticed the each Shinobi had a different number of dots in the center but there was nothing else—other than obvious eyeholes.

"We're actually a newly created division. We're regular Jonin and Chunin, but since this crisis has started—we've been given different attire to distinguish our roles as Border patrol."

"So can you like—not remove them?"

Kaoru blinked at Naruto for a moment. Then his voice eased. His hand went to the back of his head and he loosened the drawstrings, the white mask fell forward.

A man in his early thirties with a kindly face stared back. His eyes were blank though, and reminded Naruto of Yamato a bit. Brown hair was scooped up into a tiny ponytail, the hair in disarray due to the mask. Kaoru smoothed the tuffs into place.

"I apologize. I hope I didn't make you uncomfortable. We're all in a state of unrest, I didn't have time to realize I still had it on."

Naruto waved his hand in understanding. "It's alright." He smiled.

The others stubbornly kept there's on. Only the small one to Kaoru's left started to remove it.

The small one whom the high pitched voice belonged to. It was indeed female.

She had short cropped black hair, cut very short like a boy. Her face was entirely too feminine to ever pass for one though.

She had wide eyes, lips curved like freshly sliced strawberries with the tinge to match and cheeks filled with fat that assumed a childlike expression.

"I'm Korra." She breathed. She didn't seem use to talking through the stifling mask.

Before Naruto could respond, an earth rumbling crash sounded. It came from outside their building.

Whatever it was shook the ground with great force. It gave everyone in the room a jolt with the intensity of chakra they felt.

All the Shinobi were on their feet in less than 3 seconds.

Naruto's mind spelled one name.

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"Who are you?" Sasuke asked pulling himself to his feet.

A tall figure with black pants and a blue civilian vest was looking across at him from where he stood.

"Do you need help?" It sounded like a young man. He had a feathery voice.

"No. I don't need help from you. Just get lost and find something—uhh—else—too—" Sasuke could hardly continue. It hurt so badly.

It was as if venom was coursing through his body.

He pitched forward despite his best attempts.

The figure moved faster and a hand stretched out and caught him by the waist.

"I thought…I told…you…to mind your own business!" He yelled. His hand slapped away the figure, but he was met with a surprising strength.

Now that he thought about it…he could sense the chakra the person was giving off. It was being suppressed but he could tell this guy was definitely strong.

This guy was most certainly not a civilian.

"Get away from me!" Sasuke knew he'd regret it, but he summoned his chakra. A pained scream resonated.

Once again, he was on his knees. Sasuke's head was bowed in shadow.

"I think I can help you." The figure started to approach him again.

A grin took over Sasuke's mouth. At this point, it was as though his skin had been peeled off and his body was bleeding freely. That was the sensation he felt.

_I might as well push it then._ Sasuke thought in a fog of delusion. He was almost laughing. His brain was on fire now.

_Hell—ugh-why—not!_

Blue chakra burst from his body with pure killing intent. Sasuke wanted to use his Sharingan, but then he'd have to activate his Sharingan, and he was certain if he did the effort would kill him.

The young man was sent flying into a raised pillar of rock that served as a memorial. The guy crashed into it—his body flung through the air as though it were made of paper—the rock broke and the man whose face was covered with looked like a Sunakagure face veil, had blood dripping from his head.

Sasuke felt darkness closing around him. He took one last look at the man he'd injured, he was laying motionless with his face in the dirt.

Sasuke sank into oblivion.

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"Sasuke! Sasuke!"

_Naruto?_

His eyes folded opened to see the blonde staring down at him, obviously worried.

Naruto started to talk faster, but the words blurred in Sasuke's ears.

_I feel much better. What happened while I was knocked out?_ Sasuke's mind was preoccupied with thoughts of this. He felt sore, but no longer like something was about rip from his skin.

When he saw the other Shinobi, a few coming toward them, Sasuke got to his feet. "I'm fine." He walked passed Naruto.

He headed to the building where he had first been taken to wait. The others filed in behind him this time. Sasuke was staring at his hands. He felt—healed somewhat. The fatigue that had plagued him the whole journey had disappeared, although he still sensed that if he released any chakra—he'd be back where he was earlier.

They were a small distance from the building when a new platoon of jonin appeared. Out of the middle of them a woman emerged.

Sasuke gave concentrated frown.

The Mizukage. She was a woman who stood out and would have had a lot of trouble concealing herself anywhere, with a swirling mane of reddish-brown hair, a voluptuous figure and dark lined eyes with intense sea green eyes.

He'd preferred a girl who looked like the Tsuchikage's granddaughter. At least with her you could ignore that fact that she was a woman.

Nothing about the Mizukage could be argued as boyish.

"It's a pleasure to see you again, Naruto." She paused in her stride to smile affably at the blonde. "I hear you're doing really well."

Even her voice, Sasuke felt a wave of irritation he tried in vain to stifle. It was worse than Sakura. At least her voice didn't drip in _that way_.

"And Sasuke? Of course I remember you from last time. How could I forget. You've become even more handsome then before."

Sasuke gave her a deadpanned stare.

"No hard feelings about my attempts to kill you I hope. You did cause a lot of trouble for us, but that's all in the past." The Mizukage shrugged her shoulders, the sun peeking out from the clouds in the sky shone on her bare shoulders. "It's so lovely a man like you will be on my team."

The last sentence sounded so flirtatious, and she didn't even blink unashamedly even as Naruto looked amused.

The men behind her, who were apparently working for her, didn't seem fazed by her behavior. They stood like statues flanking her.

_How on earth did this woman become a Kage._ Sasuke grit his teeth.

Mizukage broke Sasuke's gaze, there was a curious flicker before she looked away.

Sasuke who walked past her into the building, felt almost as he had missed something with that last look.

The Mizukage had turned to the one of the men behind her. "Tell Ao to meet me afterwards." She ordered him.

By this time, Sasuke was already inside and far from hearing her words. But if he had seen the look in her eye, and the complete change in tone, he'd have no doubt he was being played.

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The Mizukage paused. She had been in the middle of speaking, but came to a halt—her pink lips freezing midway. The men facing her looked questioningly. Naruto spoke up. "Um, is there something the matter Mizukage Miss." Naruto didn't know how he should address her yet. He decided he should hold off on giving a nickname he could use freely in this type of situation. He didn't know her like Baa-chan.

She rose from her chair and stepped down toward the group.

It looked as if she were walking up to Naruto, and he stood up straighter, but her gaze turned to the person next to him.

Sasuke.

He was standing extremely erect, his posture even seemed a little rigid and he was silent throughout most of their conversation.

The Mizukage came to stand directly in front of Sasuke.

It wasn't just Naruto that noticed that it took him a few seconds to react, as if he wasn't all there.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at her. "Yeah, and what do you want." He spat out.

She raised a hand glowing with chakra and made contact with his forehead, hitting him squarely with enough pressure to knock him back. Her chakra seeped from her hand to the dark bangs matted with sweat.

It lasted a few short seconds, mostly because the Uchiha was caught off guard. He didn't expect her to dare lay a hand on him.

Sasuke stumbled back, but by the time he regained balanced he'd unsheathed his Kusanagi.

The Mizukage raised her other hand to prevent the Jonin from rushing over to stop the Uchiha. Naruto looked on speechlessly.

Sasuke snapped angrily. "What the hell do you think you're doing."

"I would ask you the same thing." She stepped away for a moment, looked him over and gave a small smile.

She reached out again, Sasuke countered once more, but this time there was Kage level force applied from her hand and she caught his arm which struck out with her other hand and forcibly held her hand on his forehead once more.

Kusanagi had slipped from Sasuke's grip, and he was forced to make due bare handed, not that it worked.

Sasuke glowered, and summoned his chakra. His body outlined with a faint blue color.

Before he could make any sort of move, his face contorted in pain. "Nnggh!" _Dammit. I forgot. _

"Sasuke's what's the matter?!" Naruto cried. "What did you do to him!"

Sasuke was on his knees. His muscles tensed up in pain. He was breathing hard.

"I guess the Hokage didn't see it fit to remove your chakra restraints. I suppose she was being generous leaving it to me." The Mizukage was addressing Sasuke now. "The reason he's in pain is due to using chakra while having a chakra limiter seal on him... Not a pleasant experience. " She was addressing him now. "I'm shocked you've managed to withstand the pressure you must be feeling on your body. How you were able to make an entire journey without having something done about it is puzzling. Normally, a regular Shinobi would be in coma—or dead."

Sasuke's eyes were blurring. He didn't want them to crowd around him like this. Vultures acting like they were concerned. He felt a heat of anger but he couldn't sustain it. Everything he had was focused on keeping conscious.

Their voices were starting to mix and the room swayed with every passing second.

He could hear Naruto speaking…

He could see the Mizukage woman moving her lips….she was saying something.

Sasuke shut his eyes and shook his head. The film of pain clouding his mind was unbelievable. It felt almost like earlier.

"The more chakra he infuses, the more pain he'll feel. During our talk I noticed it wasn't just apathy that made him silent. He was trying to maintain his face, deducing quickly that overexerting himself by any means would take away from the concentration he needed to keep up the illusion of being in good state. I'm not sure what it says about the seal that it didn't restrain him—he was able to use a good amount of chakra. That's something…" The Mizukage gave a sigh.

_I don't approve of what the Hokage has done. Making a young man travel like this, without removing his chakra limiter. Just as I thought—he really is an incredible powerful Shinobi. That he was able to withstand for so long. What they have done is almost—cruel—or perhaps would be to another person—but to this boy—this kid—it's -just what he's used to—I guess. But could it also be that his threshold for pain is—great? For such a young man..how sad._

"Um! Um!" Naruto was speaking. The Mizukage was looking down lost in thought at the young man at her feet. "Aren't you going to do anything! Remove the seal or something!"

The Mizukage blinked and looked away to face Naruto and the others. "I already did."

Sasuke gave a low groan. His face was beginning to soften, but he still looked out of it. His eyes closed shut and fell forward.

"Sasuke!" Naruto caught his friend halfway. "When? Oh!" something sparked in his mind. "Wait you mean when you touched his forehead? Will that be enough?"

The Mizukage green eyes blinked. She smiled kindly at Naruto. "Don't worry. He'll be fine. I have rooms ready for you two, you might want to escort your friend there. We can continue where we left off tomorrow."

"Wouldn't it be better to give him a day off. So he can rest?" Naruto pleaded. "A day wouldn't be such a big deal, would it?" He looked up questioningly at The Mizukage.

"You're right. But the word around is that he's a stubborn boy—I don't think he'll think favorably on my allowing him to sleep for a whole day-unless I'm wrong about him?"

"Oh—mm-right." _I guess you're pretty easy to figure out Sasuke. The Mizukage hasn't known you long, and she's practically got your personality pegged. Or maybe I've been making it too hard Sasuke. Maybe I've never known what you've been thinking all along….I've just assumed._ Naruto thought to himself.

He spoke aloud now after a glum silence. "I'll take him then. Hm. Thanks Kaoru." The older man had leaned down to help.

The Mizukage and the rest of the men looked after them as they exited the room.

Ao walked in and looked alarmed at the scene. "What happened here, nothing serious I hope?"

"The Hokage forgot to remove his Chakra Limiting Seal."

"Forgot?!"

Ao and The Mizukage looked meaningful at one another, after a moment of silence, she echoed his words. "Forgot."

"I hear that the Hokage and the Jinnchuurikki have a close relationship, do you think she was trying to keep him safe before the Uchiha could get here and under your supervision?" Ao speculated.

Mei raised her eyebrows as if to say 'Possible,' not committing to an reply. The red glint from the setting sun highlighted her hair so it appeared more red than brown.

"Well." Ao cleared his throat. "Anyway, about other matters, as you know—obviously—we've switched out the border patrol with new Jonin and Chunin—is there a reason you think it's important to rotate them like that?"

"You know Ao, I'm surprised you've moved on from the Uchiha kid so soon. The last time we spoke, I got the impression you were worried."

"Yeah, and he felt the harsh bite of the limiter jutsu. I think I can cut him some slack for one night. Plus, I know you can handle it. Being worried about it won't change anything. You could also say Chojuro helped me see the error in my thinking—that kid. We have enough to be concerned about as well, so I'll focus my worry where it's needed for the time being. Now about your plans—"

The Mizukage swiveled around in her chair to face one of the many windows that surrounded her office.

She liked a bit sunlight with her thinking. The feel of the rays shining down always relaxed her and she felt she could effectively shoot down or embrace an idea with better clarity.

"He's such a handsome figure don't you think, Ao? I'm glad I decided to bring him here. I think my office has been brightened up some with his presence. The way he glared at me though. Such a cute face!"

Ao twitched. "You're not even listening to me! And with all due respect don't make me laugh! Stop joking around. That boy has brought a world of stress down on our heads, and has added to the burden of things, you now have to worry about, as you do your job to protect our village."

"He's more beautiful than any painting I'd decorate on my wall…"

"Mizukage!"

A clear laugh issued from the Mizukage, then her face molded into a more subdued look. "The look in his eyes while that jutsu was in place, so defiant, so determined he was to not show weakness."

Ao calmed down and blinked up at her. "Well, he's led a precarious life."

"That much I know. But to never give yourself a moment—even the smallest, to always be on guard. To not be able to call the people around you comrades, it must be tiring."

"The problem isn't that he hasn't found people that he's loyal to. He's had comrades in the past. He's just never stuck with them. He fits the profile of a rogue ninja so well—course he was one until recently so that comes as no surprise. For people like that, you never know when they're going to change on you. They don't find satisfaction in working in a team or conforming to a village. They are usually arrogant in thinking and always believe they're in the right. If they want to achieve something, of course they need to go off on their own and make it happen. Other people would slow them down according to their mindset. He was probably the cool kid in the class who thought he was above everyone. In the end, developing a complex that made him think he could exist by himself with no help from anyone. Such people just end up in a miserable ditch all alone. No matter how much you try to reach out your hand or believe they have a redeemable quality in them that to salvage—it's all futile. You're better off not wasting a breath on them, because you can't change someone like that. Ever."

"Is that what you believe, Ao?" Mei held her green eyes on her right hand man.

"Yes, and I've yet to see anyone who can prove that scenario wrong. I'll believe if I see it with my own eyes. That will be the day I hold my tongue."

"He's a pitiful kid. But I won't make any judgments against him just yet. People always have a way of surprising you."

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The late hour chimed on the clock in the room.

"I guess that's all. I will see you tomorrow Lady Mizukage." Ao closed the folder he had opened and made for the door.

Mei stretched out on the couch in her office. She shifted her body until she got comfortable. Her hair was flung out under her, and she'd discarded her shoes as usual.

This is how it went. She had her people report to her, afterwards she drafted plans and ideas into folders and handed them back at a later date. Ao was always the one she could work closer with. He was always ready to argue without end for something he believed and sometimes stubbornly for hours, but in the end he would always go with it. She wondered if he was just testing her when he did that. It could be tiring.

She laid the current folder aside.

She knew she had her own paperwork to deal with as The Mizukage. Although, she couldn't help herself from getting involved in other affairs.

She always requested that reports be done in an early fashion and all teams to keep them up to date, and let her know of any major changes.

Jonin and Chunin were filing in and out of her office, back and forth as a result.

She had chat with the Hokage and was even told she was tried to do too much. but she couldn't help her nature.

It never ended with 'This is what this town proposed for this solution.' She wanted to do a follow up. She wanted to know what could be done to make conditions better. What could be done to minimize incidents before they got out of hand.

Maybe it wasn't her diligent nature, but more about thhe guilt she felt that would not wash away.

The guilt that came from being the leader to a village that used to be called 'Blood Mist Village.'

In addition, Kirigakure was solely responsible for a number of really bad decisions made that affected beyond their borders.

Especially during the period of Yondaime's reign…

Mei let those thoughts slip from her mind. She couldn't change what was done in the past as a Mizukage, she could only seek to improve things from here on out.

To tell the truth, there were still some very bad regulations still in place that needed several levels of clearance that she hadn't been able to touch or effect in any way. They required the meeting of a number of political figures and carefully thought out proposals.

As a village, they had a long way to go.

One of the things on her mind today, the last thing that Ao had brought up before he left was the issue with a certain clan.

Clans were always hard to regulate, even within a village, even as the Mizukage.

Clan leaders were very touchy and got bent out of sorts when you tried to tell them to operate in a certain way. Normally, it was enough to lay down general roles that applied to every clan with a minimal amount of interference, but some clans had to be watched closer than others. And it got bad when you it looked to them as if they were being picked on individually.

She gave a great sigh.

Mei sometimes wished she had a partner in all of this. Another half of her, to bounce ideas off, someone who shared her frame of mind and who was sharp-minded enough to keep up.

Someone who she could share companionship with and debate healthily about the politics of a village.

No psychos, misogynists, or selfish power-hungry bureaucrats who wanted to exploit her.

A man who could be intelligent, but not arrogant, strict but kind.

It would be nice…

"Yes, and now it's time to go home and sleep." She said out loud. She needed to get these types of things out of her head for now. It was certainly not the time for them to be there.

When Mei finally got to bed, just before she drifted off, she couldn't help but see the Uchiha boy's glaring face in her head.

It was the most curious thing to her.

An injured puppy that refused help, no matter how twisted he got under barbed wires.

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**Review! Do Review Gents and ladies!**

**Review!**

**I do apologize for Sasuke being so weak in this chapter, but let me know what you guys thought of well—things OTHER than that. 'Sides we're all weak and vulnerable when we're in pain. **


	16. Chapter 16

**Author's Note:** I know you guys probably thought I abandoned this story. Not the case. I apologize in advance for the 'cliff-hanger-like ending.'

More to come soon.

The funny thing is, I already had this chapter written months ago, I didn't post it because I was rethinking the whole thing, then I ended up finalizing it.

Ah. Well. What can you do.

Fair warning, nothing earth shattering happens in this chapter. Apologies for that as well.

** Chapter 16: Release**

The room was monochrome. Sasuke opened his eyes blearily allowing soft rays of morning to cascade into his line of sight. The window looked like a spectrum of black and white. The shutters on the window glowed with dawn's early light, which was only just muffled by the closed windows and tightly shut blinds; it started from the darkest shade and made its way to the color of faint sunlight. Darkness shaded the corners black, causing blurred light to stretch itself where ever it could reach, and it had reached Sasuke from his dream and into the waking world in the most gentle manner.

There were days he woke up breathless and with a violent start. It was customary for someone of his profession—perhaps mostly owing to the nature of his past; and the sort of things his mind had witnessed and been subjected to over the years. The type of strain and agonizing memories that were housed in Sasuke's skull were not the kind to fade so quickly or allow him unstrained moments of waking.

It was simply a good day whenever he roused from dreams and opened his eyes as easily as one slipped gloves upon their fingers. It didn't happen often, and it wasn't always met with gaiety of spirit, but it was welcome. It was accepted. It was treasured. However much he regarded it with a modicum of suspicion.

To wake up somewhere unfamiliar elevated the feeling of distrust that was very natural and familiar to Uchiha Sasuke. He sat up quickly after gauging his surroundings.

Blinking once, adjusting by the third—he remembered where he was.

The first thought that sashayed from his mouth and breathed out with some alertness—-"Not Konoha."

Of course, Sasuke measured both time and situation by its dislocation from the land of Fire. It would probably been odd to him if he didn't. It was a place that plagued his dreams with nightmares and the only place he'd held a scraps of decent memories—no good memories—and which he had no doubt would be the only place in his world.

To walk in darkness was his fate.

This morning he was in Kirigakure. This morning…

A groan escaped his lips, as he felt the stirrings of remnants of the former night's pain.

As the dark haired boy with the hollow eyes unconsciously shook out his ebony hair away from his forehead, he looked boyish for a moment.

Sleep seemed to soften some of the terrible presence of his eyes.

Sasuke was flooded with a welcome soreness which often accompanied very deep sleep. That was something he hadn't experienced in a while. And to do so in a foreign place on the first night..

Sasuke inwardly chided himself, shaking himself back to his senses.

It had been all but twenty minutes that Sasuke's mind drifted in this dreamy state where his thoughts didn't hasten to one direction or the other. It wasn't very typical for a Shinobi who was always circumspect-especially one of his caliber.

As a Shinobi, one had to always be ready to strike an unknown enemy and place his weapon on the tenderest point they could reach.

Sasuke, now returning to his old self, after mulling over the possibility of being drugged again, had taken notice of white sheets that were so crisp and spotless that he doubted even his Sharingan could've spotted a marred corner or loose thread woven in its tactile surface.

The empty room with just the large bed he was in, a giant window behind his head, and a doorway so far to the corner and tiny it looked like a peephole from his distance.

If there wasn't a playful small table and paintings on the wall to counteract the room's austerity and give it a touch of personal use, it would've felt like a sterile madhouse room.

Whoever this room belong to was unflinchingly neat. There were bookcases built into the walls that he'd just noticed, which told of the owner's penchant for organization, as well as their desire to keep things hidden from prying eyes.

The room was mostly empty, but in a way that spelled of nascent fresh things. Its presence gave no doubt someone used this room for their own tasks.

Sasuke shook his disarrayed ebony hair but this time with an expression befitting him.

When his charcoal eyes blinked this time, expelling the wariness, all the suspicion, darkness, hurt, betrayal, all forms of anger, alarm, and the millions of other things that were in the front of the mind of his mind which he held inside of him flashed back to the forefront of his facial features.

A blank slate with a million things hidden in plain sight so clearly they appeared invisible.

It's a wonder how a poorly constructed column can hold a heavy weight effectively. He was like a piece of pottery carved in precarious shape, built in a falsely delicate seeming package but with a very hard and stubborn core.

He could hold in all sorts of things, the world made from iron on his two shoulders—were not unfathomable. Not to him.

A whiff of that promising air of change that lifted the wings of his skepticism for the briefest moment was disregarded. He was up and walking across the very soft and tickling carpet over his bare callous heels.

Sasuke's hands were paler as he reached the door, unlocked it and stepped through. The veins on his forearms and fingers winked green as he flexed. The visible coat of tension returned.

He didn't step out of this room with the intention to them all hell, any trouble people roused from him was simply what they brought out, his reaction to them.

No sword-Kusanagi missing his clothes invariably changed. Sasuke descended down a spiral of stairs now in the foulest mood possible for what feigned to start off as a pleasant morning.

He was garbed in a white, translucent shirt that breathed as frequently as he did, and dark standard issue pants. He still had his headband and pouch, but the weapons were missing.

To a ninja, this was the equivalent of finding himself naked in the middle of a battlefield, which as far as Sasuke was concerned, he was in.

His hand moved comfortably down the railing of the sleek black stairwell and this briefly caused him to wonder where this building was located. He couldn't recall a place that looked this homey from the rough construct he'd painted in his mind.

It took Sasuke nearly 30 minutes of walking—walking—as he couldn't make his body move with the blinding speed that he was used to.

He wondered if that meant he still had the Chakra limiter in place. He felt somewhat weightless, a great deal more free, and there wasn't any lingering feeling of fatigue or pain rattling inside anywhere he could gauge.

It was just that He just couldn't move as fast, and that counteracted any positive aspects.

As soon as he could—some wall or someone's face was going to get a nice hello from his real best friend—Chidori.

Sweating, red-eyed from his unconsciously activated Sharingan, a fuming Sasuke walked through the town barefoot. There were civilians here and there who gave him odd looks, and ninja of various ranks regarded him with doubtful eyes.

The strangest thing was there was not a single person actually came up to him and demanded to know why he was in the village or asked him to show some ID. It's not like they had informed everyone that he was coming. Yet, he didn't get questions or even idle curiosity.

People moved past him, in a manner that suggested they were ignoring him or not caring.

Which was a curious reaction—people just didn't NOT react to him.

The cause probably had some stupid explanation he didn't care to hear.

The groups or individuals rushed by with purpose for the most part. He didn't really see people linger outside hovering in jovial groups. Whether they were civilian or ninja, they moved with obvious purpose, either for an errand or to hastily get to some destination or other. It was a procession of leavings and goings without halt.

The music of this village was the swish of movement and the slam of doors as they were strode through.

The scene in Konoha was much different. Even if wartime hung around, one could still see children out somewhere playing around.

The pace was considerably slowed down in Village Hidden in The Leaves.

It was as if you could hear the streets and buildings caring and getting in your business.

Strict, and indifferent was the feeling that hung here.

It suited him just fine, but it did make Sasuke wonder if this was how people were all the time. In addition, he could feel a sense of tension in the air. The smell of some type of fear floating around. And he wasn't so arrogant as to suppose he was the cause of the wide-eyed looks children and women shot him as they rush towards their shops and houses. Something had been going on here that made people on guard.

For all its desolation so early in the morning, Kirigakure was beautiful.

It was a thought that had risen unbidden in Sasuke's mind and he acknowledged it without meaning to.

Sasuke found it soothing and unpretending, whether he'd admit that to himself just yet, was another thing.

The way the light filtered on the stony buildings, banners went up and down, things rattled here or there—a supplier carrying wares to his shop, bulky sons flanking him—a swish of current or surge of chakra—a small army of men sailing through with fierce looks in shining their eyes, readying for a mission and headed towards the front gates.

Someone stepped in front of Sasuke just then. He gazed up warily at them, a light snarl curling his lip.

A man in dark blue with a distinctly familiar build.

"Tch." Sasuke approached him without the slightest worry about offending him as he unleashed his furious gaze on the tall Shinobi.

It was Ao, trickles of memories from the Kage Summit appeared in his mind.

A thought occurred to Sasuke that it might not just have been yesterday when he'd strode into this village. No. Sasuke didn't let himself imagine that he'd slept longer than a night in this place without meaning to.

Brushing that disturbing bit off his mind. He growled distinctly as only he could, while maintaining his apathetic tone to some degree.

"What the hell." It wasn't even a question.

If the blue haired, strict, older Shinobi expected any other type of greeting, it didn't show.

"Yes. Pleasure to see you as well." His mouth was framed distastefully, dark eyes squinted unsurprisingly at the Uchiha's behavior. He spoke briskly. "It's fine that you came on your own. I was just off to come get you."

"Come to get me." Sasuke narrowed his eyes repeating the words with tight lips. "Where are my things."

"Everything that you had before, I have them, they've been passed into my care. You'll get them now. If you'll follow me." Ao turned and started walking with an almost petulant flourish.

"Why can't I use my muscles properly—what did you guys do to me." Sasuke questioned threateningly, as he matched Ao's stride.

"I didn't do anything. It's likely that your Limiter is still in place. I don't really know any specifics. I guess we'll find that out together." Ao spoke as if the prospect of that didn't appeal to him in the least bit. He gave a sideway glance towards the Uchiha and put a considerable bit of shoulder distance between them as he walked on. Did he expect the Uchiha to flat out attack him out of no where?

"I'm going to need the next person we meet to give a better explanation then you just did." It was this exact tone of Sasukes' which made even those who liked him, feel the urge to knock him unconscious.

Little brat, just as unpleasant as I expected you to be.

A moment later Sasuke was feeling more talkative than usual and continued his barrage of questions, laced with derogatory comments.

"Why was I moved to such a far away location from the main part of the village? I've come as a ninja of Konoha on a mission to serve a purpose. You guys were aware of our presence and yet—all that. What's the meaning behind it all. You should be able to answer that much or you're not worth much in your position.

"Listen boy, I didn't make any plans for you. Other people did. As far as where you were—that house was the safest place we could put you since…well under the circumstances it worked out that way. Now that you're in better health, and can go on your own feet, you'll be staying closer to the heart of town so don't have a cow."

"Where's Naruto." Sasuke hated to ask, but the whereabouts about the blonde would give him some idea about what was going on.

"Ah, your comrade, you mean. He was in a different place. He should be waiting for us where we're headed now."

All vague and useless answers, not to mention he's been lying to me. A different place? As if that makes any sense, we're here for the same reason. Sasuke felt that he'd wasted his breath on someone who wouldn't be satisfying to get a rise out of in the first place.

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"He's outside, well tell him to come in—."

The door was thrown open.

The Mizukage halted midword. Most Kages would have found the rudeness insulting. It wasn't as if she had any reasons to excuse his behavior as the HoKage did.

But to Mei, getting railed up by such thing would have been a sad concept.

She felt the tug of an almost smile across her lips.

Her mind thought one phrase, not with any malicious feelings, but with a thought that facts were facts.

Despicable child.

Mei didn't have capacity to feel annoyed, her mind was occupied on the many things needed from her, as leader, to protect her village.

Miserable kid or not, the boy was a key piece and one she had in place waiting to be directed and she wouldn't waste.

_You have been shunned out of your playground and now you want to make a mess here. I'm sorry, handsome boy, but that won't be happening. I'm not as light as I may look to you._

The sincere look of amusement that sculpted her face seemed to hold a kind of challenge to Sasuke, because his initial look was interrupted.

Mei did her best to school her face back into one that look nearly perturbed.

"Now." The Mizukage gave a beat of silence where she balanced her thoughts before speaking. "First things first, your possessions are in locker down the hall, in the next room. Ao will fetch that for you now." She twirled a set of keys she'd pulled out from what seemed like thin air and held it to the Shinobi who'd walked in warily after Sasuke.

He bowed before walking out again.

"After you get your things, we need you to report in the hall with the rest of the group. I've handed out a document with each groups orders. I'll fill you in on yours, because there are some critical points I want to highlight specifically for you."

Sasuke was stone faced.

"Oh! but before I forget." She walked around her desk, a softened expression coating her features.

Sasuke blinked once at the change, regarding it suspiciously. He gave a smirk as she raised her hand.

"Oh try it. I won't fall for your acid mist again." His expression hardened with anticipation.

Mei blinked, clearly surprised at his assumption. She had to keep the almost laugh out of her voice, it was almost ridiculous.

"I'm not going to attack you!" She exclaimed, shifting her hands to her hips and away from his direction. She was directly in front of him.

_He could sense so easily that I gathered up an large amount of chakra in my body in an instant. Normally, it's too faint for most Shinobi to sniff out when I use this technique. Not bad._

"No, handsome, I was just about remove the last bits of restraint on your Chakra Limiter. I sense you're still not able to move freely. I assumed it would die down, but it seems you've been unconsciously pulling too hard at your chakra, causing the restraint become more resistant. The night after a removal, a normal ninja regains full use, not in your case though..stubborn." She whispered the last part under her breath, and lifted her lips, cocking her head slightly as auburn bangs fell over one eye.

"What do you see me as." She said smiling with a suddenly girly air.

Sasuke furrowed his brows and stared her down with nastiest look he could muster.

"I have to wonder what stories Ao has been feeding you."

Ao had just walked in just in time to hear her last comment. "Oh, nothing, Lady Mizukage."

Sasuke didn't blink, but he did recall Ao's words just before they'd entered the building. He'd made it clear that their 'Hokage' wasn't like the one back 'home.' He'd given the impression that she was an unreasonable woman who smiled at you and then attacked you for no clear reason.

From Sasuke's experience with the Mizukage, who'd nearly killed him all the while never loosing her falsely sweet tone—he didn't feel inclined to protest it.

She wasn't the headache the female Kuniochi he was accustomed had been, at least not in the same way, she was on a different level, but neither was it any form of pleasant.

The thought that he had to answer to her was annoying enough, even if she didn't look at him that way—flirtingly, but with a distinct air of wanting to kill him if she got the chance. At times though, this notion did seem a little ludicrous, but he couldn't afford to not be on guard.

Sasuke was wary, and after all the time he'd spent with Naruto, he understood what it looked like when someone pretended to act a way that they weren't.

He could see clearly that she wore a type of mask, and he had no intention of falling for it.

As if sensing the direction of his thoughts, she made a comment opposite of what her inner face showed to him.

"It's been a while since I've stood next to a young man this beautiful. It was my personal wish that you come here, and I'm glad I made it."

Her white hand reached out and tapped the crown of his head so swiftly that it seemed dreamlike when she stepped back to her seat.

Before a word could leave his lips, he felt a pressure that had been lifted. This time it wasn't occupied with pain, it felt as if chains had dropped off his shoulders.

Sasuke forgot about everything he had thought in the last 20 minutes—no the whole morning. None of it was important.

He could feel his intense chakra melting back into his veins, the surge of power that welled in him caught him off guard.

It had never dawned on to him the extent of what had been hidden away in him for months, before this moment of release.

Any tension, or fret about Kirigakure's plots and their fake smiling Mizukage was a leaf in the wind.

None of that mattered.

Not when he had this much power at his fingertips.

Sasuke had thought that when he got his chakra back and he was at full strength, he'd feel relaxed.

He felt pent up and raring to engage in battle.

A real battle, a fake battle, a fight created for the hell of it—anything would of sufficed.

Ao and Mizukage must of felt the surge of the rolling, surge of chakra that coated Sasuke.

He see in his peripheral the bead of sweat appeared on Ao's forehead, and the stiffening of The Mizukage's shoulders.

Did she—or they perhaps not know what they had locked inside him.

Sasuke clenched and unclenched his hands. A smirk appearing on his face with real genuine zest.

Why had it felt that all these months it was kept in check, it had grew stronger inside him.

The whys or hows weren't important, Sasuke reminded himself.

He had just gained the footing he felt he'd been missing this whole journey.

The thought that he'd been lulled by some familiarity or relation to this village vanished.

The only connection he had was the one he'd used to total it to the ground, if anyone got in his way.

The Mizukage still hadn't turned around, she seemed to be busying herself with pulling papers out from a cabinet.

He was sure she was thinking, what he had in that moment.

He could take her, why would he need to listen to her orders when he could decide on his own.

"The affects of the Limiter being removed give the person a feeling of having their power doubled, but it lasts only a short time. It's because upon returned the chakra back to the central line of the body, it withdraws and becomes a faint flicker, and because a total diminishment of chakra would be fatal to a ninja, it generates a wave of 'artificial chakra' which stimulates the user's own to feel twice as powerful as ever."

Sasuke's eyes were dark cold marbles and he looked through her as she spoke, unbelievingly.

Mei's mind unwittingly formed a connection with the boy's face to a darker being without mercy—she was reminded of Uchiha Madara for one second.

This boy wasn't. If he was—bound to be—it wasn't just a mistake to bring him to her village which threatened to crumbed from the inside out—it was a catastrophe.

She brushed those feelings away.

"Beautiful." She breathed. And for a moment it wasn't just that she was trying to mock him, throw off the tone, or distract in any way. His chakra was a sight to behold, just from her distance it was so potent she could almost feel like it was inside her.

As if it were her own, it touched the tips of her aura dangerously. She pushed up her own chakra to a higher level to fend it off, but not high enough to challenge him.

"Why don't we test out whether mine strength is an illusion, or the real thing." Sasuke propositioned stepping completely out of the line that the Hokage and Naruto had wanted him to stay within.

The Mizukage couldn't hold back the look of the audacity she felt he had for his challenge. she held up her hand when Ao who was seething moved forward.

She had people take her lightly, and she'd been insulted, both as a women, Shinobi, but the tone and total disregard for reason, and lack of consideration of situation—this boy just spoke.

Either he really believed he was everything, and stood above the clouds towering over everyone, or he was one lost, wounded, and confused boy who couldn't see out of the blanket of darkness he'd thrown over himself.

She felt pity and an almost sadness for him. She felt a hint of anger. but encompassing those feelings at the edge of her mind was a wonder—a curious, dangerous temptation to oblige him.

Her emerald eyes gleamed as she beheld the Sharingan spin into place, the red of them sticking out dramatically against the black and while attired Uchiha with the black hair and pale features.

When she blinked, her pink lips lifted to her cheeks, her teeth nearly in view. "I was hoping not to break my new painting before I could enjoy the view."

Sasuke took this as a green light and he charged.

**Please review! **

**I'd love to hear your thoughts guys! Tell me what you liked and disliked, and what you hope or fear will happen in this story! **


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